Police Disperse Protesting Tea Garden Workers in Bengal's Jalpaiguri

PTI | September 28, 2025 | Kolkata :  A section of tea garden workers, who had blocked a key stretch of a state highway at Meteli in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district demanding the payment of Durga Puja bonuses, were dispersed by the police on Sunday, an official said.

Around 100 workers from a nearby tea estate had blocked the arterial state highway under Malbazar subdivision of the district since Friday noon, a police officer confirmed.

“We tried to persuade them to lift the blockade... However, as the protesters refused to budge, the police swung into action on Sunday and dispersed them with minimum force,” the officer added.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the police resorted to a "brutal lathicharge on the unarmed, peaceful tribal tea workers."

“The police officers present at the spot abused the demonstrators and carried out an unprovoked attack on them,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Adhikari also claimed that several plantation workers were injured in the police action.

"None of the promises made by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her earlier visit to north Bengal have been implemented by tea garden owners. They are deprived of their minimum legitimate dues. Only by uprooting this regime can the people of Bengal get rid of this misrule," he asserted.

“One after another, tea gardens are closing down, but the CM and her administration remain indifferent,” the BJP leader added.

Ed: Workers of Nageswari Tea Garden were demonstrating against the management's decision to pay only a 10 percent bonus, despite the government's advisory to pay a 20 percent bonus. The workers attempted to block the road from Mateli to Chalsa near Kilkote Tea Estate and march towards Chalsa. They were stopped by the police, and a light lathi charge was used to disperse the crowd.