Kin block highway after 55-yr-old woman dies at Kanganwal factory
Incident occurred when her dupatta got entangled in running machine
A 55-year-old woman died in an industrial unit at Kanganwal village in Ludhiana, on Friday morning after her dupatta reportedly got entangled in a running machine, following which her family and labour representatives held a protest and briefly blocked the national highway.
The deceased, identified as Sanju Devi, had been working at the thread manufacturing unit for about four years. The mishap occurred around 8 am while she was carrying out her routine work, according to her family.
Her husband, Lal Kishore Paswan, alleged that the incident raised questions over safety arrangements at the workplace. He claimed that adequate precautions had not been taken around the machinery and sought action against those responsible.
The incident led to tension outside the factory as the family and labour union representatives gathered at the spot. They placed the victim’s body on the road and demanded an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death.
The protesters also alleged that the family was not informed about the incident and claimed that the body was brought outside the factory premises. They demanded that the factory management should explain how the accident occurred and what safety measures were in place when the woman was working on the machine.
Later, the protesters blocked the national highway near Kanganwal for around 15 minutes. The blockade resulted in traffic queues on both sides of the highway. Police officials reached the spot and spoke to the family and protesters, following which the road was cleared.
Family members said Sanju Devi was the main earning member of the household and she was survived by her husband, a son and two daughters. They demanded that the circumstances of the accident be thoroughly examined and the family should get justice, if any lapse was found.
Probe on, says Sahnewal SHO
Sahnewal SHO Dalvir Singh said the police had started an investigation into the incident. The body was sent for a post-mortem examination while the circumstances leading to the accident were being examined.
The police are also looking into the machinery involved in the incident and the safety arrangements at the factory. The SHO said appropriate legal action would be taken if the investigation finds any negligence.
