Labourer killed in accident at Sevoke-Rangpo railway project site

YOWAN MOTHAY, EOI, KALIMPONG, JULY 25, 2024: In an accident at the Bhalu Khola site of the Sevoke–Rangpo railway project on Thursday, Rajen Chhetri, a labourer, was killed. The labourer accidentally got into the beet roller of the machine and died due to the injuries sustained in the accident. 

The body was recovered and sent to Kalimpong District Hospital for post-mortem. He was a resident of Kirney in Kalimpong. 

According to a source, the accident was caused by the belt of the crusher machine breaking. On the other hand, allegations of negligence have also been levelled against the railway authorities. 

In a meeting between the project authorities and relatives of Rajen Chhetri, an agreement was reached that the company would provide employment to the wife of Rajen Chhetri till the completion of the project, full compensation would be paid as per rules, and the company would provide financial support for the education of the three children of Rajen Chhetri and financial support for the performance of his last rites. 

Executive Sabhasad of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Sinora Namchu and village panchayat member of Kirney Puran Rai were present in the meeting. The amount of compensation would be decided by the company on Friday, and until the compensation was decided, the work of the project in Bhalukhola would be closed, it was decided. 

The Superintendent of Police said a complaint about the incident had been received from Uma Davi Chhetri, wife of Rajen Chhetri. 

The necessary legal action was being taken. It is noteworthy that on May 9 this year, 41-year-old Shambhu Chhetri, a resident of Sevoke, died while working on the Sevoke-Rangpo railway tunnel. 

In June 2021, two workers from Jharkhand were killed and five others were injured when the tunnel collapsed. On April 17, 2023, one person died in Bhalu Khola Tunnel-10.