West Bengal: CM Adhikari Distributes Compensation Cheques To Bereaved Families, Assures Govt Support

Kolkata: Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday met the relatives of three of the 19 deceased in the stampede incident at a Durga Puja pandal and gave a compensation cheque of Rs 25 lakh.

Talking with the media, Adhikari said that God has not given him the power to bring back the dead.

“I cannot bring back those who have died but can stand by their bereaved families and can help them. I am by their side. I still think that money cannot be an alternative to life,” said Adhikari.

Compensation and support for bereaved families

Notably, Adhikari was accompanied by the local MLAs.

“I will again visit the remaining bereaved families on Wednesday to distribute the compensation. There is a family where the only earning member has died and the parents are senior citizens. We will try to accommodate them in any job and will also start old-age pensions for them,” further mentioned the Chief Minister.

Adhikari criticises previous government

Taking potshots at the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, Adhikari mentioned that the present government is ‘prompt’.

“Nobody will have to teach us about our responsibilities. Last year 13 people died due to electrocution and flash floods in Nagrakata of Jalpaiguri. The previous Chief Minister was busy playing dandiya and holding puja carnival? Since my predecessor didn’t do so, that doesn’t mean that I won’t,” further added the West Bengal Chief Minister.

Visits to victims' families

Adhikari first visited East Burdwan to visit family members of Togor Bej and her son, Sandip Bej, then went to Arambagh in Hooghly district and also met the family of Piyali Pramanik, who had died in the stampede at the Chor Bagan Durga Puja pandal in north Kolkata.

Warning against false social media posts

Adhikari also warned of dire consequences over ‘fake’ posts related to the stampede at the Durga Puja pandal.

Also Watch:

A post allegedly originating in Bangladesh and shared by 135 people in Bengal had ‘false narratives’ over the incident. Adhikari directed the police to register cases under non-bailable sections against those who post ‘fake’ and ‘false narratives’ over the stampede incident.

Health control room visit

Later in the evening, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, along with Health Minister Shaeadwat Mukherjee, visited the health control room to see the working at various hospitals.