KIN OF VICTIMS REFUSE CONSENT FOR AUTOPSY

BARNALA: The bodies of three labourers who had died in a factory fire on Tuesday are still in the mortuary of civil hospital here as the families refused to give their consent for autopsy.

Three labourers were burnt alive in a fire in the godown of a foam manufacturing factory, Bansal Industries, in Uggoke village on Tuesday.

The victim families are demanding compensation from the government and factory owners. In their support, two farmer organisations, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) and BKU (Dakonda), along with the villagers, are staging a dharna in front of the factory gate since Tuesday evening. Sehna station house officer Shamsher Singh said, “All the accused are still at large. The autopsy could not be conducted in the absence of consent from the families.”

The families said ₹1 lakh ex gratia announced by the CM was inadequate. Baldev Singh, father of Sadhu Singh who was one of the three victims , said, “We are a poor family. Adequate compensation should be provided to us.”

Bhola Singh, father of another victim Sikander Singh, said, “My son married two years ago and was working in this factory for five months. The ex gratia is too little.” Third victim Jagjit Singh’s father-in-law Gurnam Singh said, “Factory owners and the government should pay the compensation separately to the families.” BKU (Ugrahan) district vice president Bukkan Singh said, “We demand ₹20 lakh each as compensation from factory owners and government. No political party highlights the plight of families, but we will certainly fight for justice to the families.” BKU leader Chamkaur Singh Nainewal said, “The owners are offering ₹ lakh to each family, which the families have refused.”