Victims hailed from Makkimala tea estate
KALPETTA: The nine women who were killed in the accident near Kannoth Hill, in Thalapuzha, were previous employees of the Makkimala tea estate. After losing their jobs, extreme poverty forced them to move to other plantations. Most of the women settled in Makkimala are migrants from Tamil Nadu, say locals. “The victims hailed from Makkimala tea estate,” said Mananthavady CPM local committee member Sajimon N. Since work dried up, they were forced to move to other estates in search of employment.
On a daily basis, jeeps and trucks owned by different tea estates in the Mananthavady region transport women pluckers from Makkimala. This has been the case since the pandemic when they started to lose work in Makkimala estate, he added.
Rahul mourns Wayanad Victims
Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi expressed condolences over the death of nine women at Thalappuz-ha on Friday. “I have spoken to the district authorities, urging a swift response. My thoughts are with the grieving families and wish a speedy recovery to those injured,” he wrote on social media.
CM, Satheesan condole the death of nine workers
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has mourned nine workers who died in a jeep accident in Wayanad. The chief minister said Forest Minister A K Saseendran have ordered to carry out various measures including treatment of the injured. Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, too, mourned the dead. He urged the government to offer adequate compensation to the families of the deceased.