KOLKATA: The West Bengal police on Thursday arrested a ruling TMC trade union leader, who had assaulted manager of a coal mine of Eastern Coalfields Ltd (ECL). Following the incident, the company issued a suspension of work notice.
Indian National Trinamool Trade Union Congress (INTTUC) secretary Chunnulal Mishra had on last Friday assaulted the pit manager, B K Singh, of J K Nagar Colliery at Ranigunj in Bardhaman district, and threatened the colliery manager and an ECL agent.
The incident had led to widespread anger and resentment among ECL officers, who lodged a police complaint. After the police failed to take any action, the management had issued a suspension of work notice, which was to be implemented on Saturday. All mines in the state and Jharkhand under ECL were to be remain closed, and it would have severely affected the coal production in the eastern region. The ECL management in its notice had asked all miners to state within four days whether they wanted transfers, failing which the company said it would take its own decision. As the management and the officers stood firm to their grounds, demanding Mishra’s arrest, the state administration on Thursday gave a green signal to arrest the TMC leader.
“The notice is valid till Friday, but we are satisfied with the step taken by the state administration. Normalcy will now return to the mines,” general manager (technical) of ECL Niladri Roy said.
Many INTTUC leaders in the industrial belt of Ranigunj-Asansol have been accused of extortion, assaulting and threatening owners of industries. The police often turn a blind eye, as they belong to the ruling party.
The Shyam Group of Industries had last week lodged a police complaint against two INTTUC leaders.