Relief cheques given away to fire victims

Dera Bassi, June 4

The Punjab Government today released compensation to the victims of a fire incident in which an 18-month-old girl was charred to death and 45 shanties were reduced to ashes at Sundran village on May 14.

Dera Bassi MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa visited the village today and handed over a cheque for Rs 4.65 lakh to the victim’s family. A cheque for Rs 65,000 was given to each affected family.

Randhawa said the government provided a financial assistance of Rs 35.85 lakh to the victims’ families.

The toddler died while hundreds of migrant labourers were rendered homeless in the fire that spread to the slum from the nearby fields. Fire officials said a farmer in the nearby field had reportedly set the stubble ablaze, which spread to the nearby shanties.

On a complaint of the deceased Roopa’s father, Ramvir, a case was registered against Dafarpur farmer Jeet Singh under Sections 304-A, 188 and 427 of the Indian Penal Code at the Dera Bassi police station.