SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Feb 27: A labourer identified as Mangar Das (40) tragically lost his life after being crushed under the debris of the Panchayat Bhawan while it was being demolished in Kabirdih village, located around 35 km from Dhanbad district headquarters.
The incident occurred in the afternoon near the inter-state GT Road under the jurisdiction of the Topchachi police station.
According to a Topchachi police officer, Mangar Das was involved in demolishing the old Panchayat building situated on the campus of the Urdu Primary School in Belatand when a major portion of the structure suddenly collapsed on him. Local residents managed to pull him out from the rubble, but he was already dead at the scene.
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The contractor responsible for the demolition fled the site after the incident, fearing retribution from the local villagers. Mangar Das hailed from the nearby village of Sidhabad.
Villagers protest demanding compensation
Upon receiving the information, Topchachi police officials arrived at the scene and initiated legal proceedings. However, angry villagers, along with the deceased’s family, protested, demanding compensation and action against the contractor. They blocked the police from taking the body for post-mortem.
The villagers insisted on the contractor’s presence at the scene, and the police, along with the Topchachi block Panchayat chief, Anand Mahto, assured the victim’s family that proper compensation would be provided.
Despite these assurances, the family refused to allow the body to be taken for post-mortem until their demands were met.
