Maur residents demand speedy probe

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 24

To demand speedy investigation and revised compensation for the families affected by the bomb blast which had rocked Maur town on January 31, members of the Maur Mandi Bomb Blast Action Committee met Deputy Commissioner Diprava Lakra and Senior Superintendent of Police Swapan Sharma here today.

During the meeting, the members argued that families of the two persons who were killed by unidentified assailants in Ahmedgarh were given compensation of Rs 25 lakh each, apart from government job for one member of both families.

“In comparison to that case, the families affected by the Maur bomb blast have been ignored completely. The compensation, which has been given to the families, has turned out to be a joke,” said the members said.

Arguing that the bomb blast be termed a terrorist attack, the committee members demanded that Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of those who died in the blast, Rs 5 lakh to each of the injured, government jobs for a member of all affected families and speedy investigation in the case.

They said had the Maur Civil Hospital been well equipped to handle any kind of emergency, many lives could have been saved.

They demanded that the Maur Civil Hospital be upgraded and vacant posts of doctors be filled.

They also demanded that a fire station be set up in the town and sought action against the private ambulance operators who charged them hefty amounts to take the injured to the hospital in Bathinda and Ludhiana.

After listening to their demand, the Deputy Commissioner and the Senior Superintendent of Police assured the members that their demands would be presented before the new state government.

The committee members were also assured that the government would look into their demands and the best possible redressal would be offered in the case.

Six persons, including four children, had lost their lives and several injured in the bomb blast at the end of a public rally by Congress leader Harminder Singh Jassi on January 31.

The action committee members had gherao the Maur police station yesterday, accusing the police of lax attitude and failing to get substantial lead against the culprits.