KOLKATA: After visiting the houses of the victims of lightning strikes in Murshidabad on Wednesday, all India general secretary of Trinamool Congress Abhishek Banerjee said he would stand by the side of the aggrieved families.
"No amount of words can console the families. I have assured them that I will be by their side and they can get in touch with me whenever they feel like," Abhishek said.
About 32 people were killed in lightning strikes in 8 districts last week. Of these, 9 people died in Murshidabad. Banerjee said three more people were killed in lightning strikes in Bankura on Wednesday.
Abhishek visited the house of Prahlad Murari in Murshidabad. He talked to his family members and spent some time with his six-year-old son, who was yet to come out of the trauma. Abhishek assured all possible help to the family members of the deceased.
He handed over an envelope to the family members but didn't mention what it contained. The state government has given Rs 2 lakh each to the family members of the victims through the office of the Block Development Officer on Tuesday. The Centre has also announced the payment of Rs 2 lakh each to the affected families.
Abhishek also visited the house of Abhijit Biswas, another victim. He talked to the family members. Later, he visited the houses of the victims in Raghunathgunj. He said he would meet the families of the victims in Hooghly on Thursday.
Speaking about the compensation, Abhishek said: "The Centre made the announcement while the state government already paid the money to the ill-fated families."
He said before the Assembly election the tourist gang had come from Delhi but now none of them could be seen. "It is because of this we had given the slogan that the outsiders come and go but Bengal wants its own daughter," he added.
Meanwhile, Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, president of Trinamool Mahila Congress and Dr Manas Bhunia, state minister for Water Investigation and Resources visited the affected families in east and west Midnapore and talked to the members.