Tree fellers attack Duncan officials - Tea adviser's ring finger almost cut off

The vehicle damaged by the attackers in Huntapara tea garden. (Anirban Choudhury)

TT, Alipurduar, Aug. 28: An official of the Duncan Goenka Group suffered serious injuries when he and two other employees of the tea plantation company were attacked with daggers and other sharp weapons while the trio were trying to catch those who were felling trees illegally in a garden near here last night.

The attackers numbering around 10 slashed Mohon Krishnan's right hand with a dagger and the ring finger was almost severed. He is the adviser to the Duncan and looks after five estates in the Dooars.

Rony Bose and Sarat Singh Churia, the assistant manager and junior assistant manager of Garganda Tea Estate owned by the Duncan, respectively, were the other two attacked by the tree fellers.

While Bose suffered an injury on his hand, Churia had minor cuts and bruises. "They were taken to the Indian Air Force Hospital at Hasimara from where Krishnan was shifted to a private nursing home in Siliguri this morning. Churia and Bose were released after first-aid," said a source.

The attack took place in Huntapara tea garden of the Duncan near Madarihat, around 60km from Alipurduar.

"Around 8.30pm yesterday, the three officials were passing through Huntapara in a vehicle when they found some people cutting shade trees in the plantation. The officials caught one of them and were shoving him to the vehicle. Suddenly, other gang members hiding in a bush attacked Krishnan, Bose and Churia with daggers and other sharp weapons. The miscreants also ransacked their vehicle and fled the spot," said a source.

Later, Bose filed a complaint with Madarihat police. "We have started an investigation. Our officers have visited the garden and collected details. We are confident that the attackers will be identified and arrested soon," said A. Ravindranath, the superintendent of police, Alipurduar.

Sources at the private nursing home in Siliguri said surgeons had operated on Krishnan this afternoon and restored his ring finger.

"We hope he would recover from his injuries. He is in a stable condition now," said a doctor.

Trade union leaders said irregularities in payment of wages and rations in the gardens of the Duncan in the past few months had led to illegal activities like tree felling.

On November 22 last year, Rajesh Junhjunhwala, the owner of Sonali Tea Estate in Malbazar, was lynched by a section of workers. An assistant manager of Dalmore Tea Estate was hacked to death by a worker on March 27, 2014.