Baripada: A child labourer from Mayurbhanj district reportedly died in Gujarat while working in a wool firm.
The boy’s family members and local people Tuesday staged a road blockade here, laying the body on the road. The protesters demanded compensation to the bereaved family.
According to reports, Bibek Naik (17), son of Kanhu Naik, of Badheisahi under Baripada municipality was working in a Gujarat-based wool firm. His family members alleged that Bibek and two others of the locality were taken to the western state by Nanda Kishore Murmu, a labour agent from Betanati area.
Bibek died Sunday on duty. His father lodged a police complaint alleging his son has been murdered there. As the body reached Baripada Tuesday, locals blocked Baghara Road for two hours, demanding a compensation of `10 lakh for the family.
Additional tehsildar Umesh Chandra Ojha rushed to the spot and held talks with the agitators.
He assured the family of `10,000 from the district Red Cross Fund and `2,000 under the Harischandra Yojana. The agitators relented after the additional tehsildar’s
assurance.
Police registered a case and detained Nanda Kishore and two others – Biswajit Behera and Pintun Das, said IIC Amit Kumar Biswal.
The incident has raised many eyebrows at a time when the administration has declared the district as one free from child labourers. PNN
