Mangaluru: Police arrested one more person on Tuesday while investigating the death of five labourers from West Bengal in the waste collection tank of a fish processing plant.

On Monday, one labourer collapsed in the waste tank of Shree Ulka LLP. Seven others rushed to rescue him and four of them died.

Four officials of Shree Ulka LLP were taken into custody on Monday. They have been remanded in judicial custody. The person arrested on Tuesday was supervisor Bolanath Shinde. The case is being probed by Bajpe police.

A police team has gone to Mumbai as part of the investigation and the labour department is verifying the age of the victims.

The families of the deceased arrived in Mangaluru on Monday and the remains of the victims have been handed over to them after the post mortem. Shree Ulka LLP has assured the families of paying an interim compensation of Rs 15 lakh according to the Workmen Compensation Act, 1923, to the nominee of each of the deceased workers.

The Department of Factories Boilers Industrial Safety And Health has submitted a preliminary accident investigation report to the deputy commissioner.

An officer said the West Bengal government was keen to know about the action taken by the administration as well as the compensation provided. The unit was shut down after the accident.
Three injured workers have been discharged from the hospital. The three injured are expected to leave Mangaluru early as they are learnt to be relatives of the deceased.

Where were legislators, asks DYFI

DYFI state president Muneer Katipalla expressed unhappiness that neither did district minister V Sunil Kumar, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel nor the MLAs visit the spot, nor did they speak to the colleagues or families of the deceased. “The police have arrested only the supervisors. Why have the owners not been arrested yet?” Katipalla asked. In case, no action is taken, like-minded organisations will launch an SEZ Chalo soon, he added.