Lockout at tea garden after workers kill doctor in Assam

JORHAT: A day after the resident doctor of Teok Tea Estate died after being brutally attacked by a section of gardens workers, Tata Tea Amalgamated Plantations Private Limited declared an indefinite lockout in the garden on Sunday.
Police have arrested 21 garden workers in connection with the incident and deployed security personnel to maintain law and order.
On Saturday, a section workers of the tea estate attacked Deben Dutta (73), the resident doctor, after holding him responsible for the death of a worker. Dutta, a resident of the Jogduar area in the district, succumbed to his injuries at the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital at 6.30 pm.
Samra Majhi (35), a resident of Maj Line in the tea estate, was admitted to the garden hospital with abdominal pain. Dutta was allegedly absent at that time and by the time he reached the hospital, Majhi was already dead. Soon after this, a large number of garden workers gathered in the hospital and assaulted Dutta. They also attacked the garden's welfare officer, Jibon Kurmi, who has been admitted to the Assam Medical College and Hospital in a critical condition.
Deputy Commissioner (Jorhat) Roshni Aparanji Korati has ordered a magisterial inquiry into incident.
A statement issued by Teok Tea Estate senior manager Manuj Gogoi said the employees' wages will be withheld until the impasse is resolved. The manager, assistant manager, deputy manager and agricultural business manager has vacated their bungalows fearing a backlash from the workers.
The estate consist of four divisions - Teok, Dalim, Khanikar, Namsisu and Jogduar - with more than 2500 workers. All the divisions have been affected by the lockout.