Maur: Relief given a day ahead of protest

Gurdeep Singh Mann

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 25

A day before the scheduled protest by Maur residents, the district administration today distributed monetary relief to the families of Maur Mandi blast victims.

The families of four deceased persons — Ashok Kumar, Barkha Rani, Ripandeep Singh and Jap Simran Singh — were handed over cheques worth Rs 5 lakh each by Maur SDM Latif Ahmed. The kin deceased Harpal Pali would be given the cheque on Monday, while the family Saurav Singla has refused to accept the relief.

The injured — Jaskaran Singh, Amrik Singh, Ankush, Rocky Garg, Darshan Singh, Rajiv, Mani Mittal, D Ram Babu, Tejinder Pal, Ashu, Himanshu, Rahul and Lakj Raj – were given a compensation of Rs 50,000 each.

The residents have already announced to hold a protest tomorrow against the delay in arresting the accused and inadequate compensation to the victims.

Parveen Kumar, a member of the committee formed by the residents to seek justice, said they had sought at least Rs 10 lakh compensation and a government job for the kin of deceased persons, besides immediate arrest of all accused.

A senior police officer said: “We can’t disclose anything regarding the case, but we are close to cracking it. It is a matter of a few days.”