Bhadohi blast: Hakim hands over cheques of Rs 2L each to families of Malda victims

Kolkata: State Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim on Sunday handed over cheques of Rs 2 lakh as compensation to the families of the victims from Malda who died in an explosion at a carpet factory in Uttar Pradesh's Bhadohi district near Varanasi on Saturday. The minister also assured that the widows of the deceased labourers will be provided jobs in ICDS.

Hakim had left for Malda on Saturday evening under the instruction of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and met the victims' family members at Enayetpur on Sunday.

"We will extend all possible assistance to the family members of the deceased. The District Magistrate will also ensure that the elderly women of the family get pension and other facilities," Hakim said. The state government will also ensure that the children of the deceased face no difficulty in continuing their education.

A state government team has already reached Uttar Pradesh and is expected to bring the bodies of the deceased to their village on Monday. State Transport minister Suvendu Adhikari will be present during the last rites of the victims.

He lashed out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the Bhadohi blast. "As per reports, grenade has been found from the site of the incident. The Chief Minister of UP criticised the law and order situation of our state when he came here to address a rally. Now what should he say about the law and order situation in his own state when such a huge blast has occurred?" the minister added.

Hakim also demanded a detailed probe of the incident. "They had raised a hue and cry when the blast took place at Khagragarh in 2014. We have arrested many of the terrorists involved in the incident and have handed them over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which is probing the case. We have lost nine people from our state. There should

be a thorough investigation," Hakim said.

The minister was accompanied by Malda (North) MP Mausam Benazir Noor, who has joined Trinamool Congress last month.

According to Hakim, Bengal is known for its skilled labourers who are needed in different parts of the country for work in jewellery, zari and several other fields of work. Some of the deceased labourers from Bengal had gone for work on Tuesday.

It has been learnt that the factory was being used to make crackers and as per preliminary investigation, the explosion took place due to the crackers that were stored inside the building.