Jute mill CEO lynched by workers

The chief executive officer (CEO) of a jute mill was beaten to death allegedly by workers on the factory premises after he refused to agree to their demand on wages, at Bhadreswar in Hooghly district on Sunday.

H K Maheswari, CEO of North Brook Jute Mill, was beaten up by the agitated workers of the factory when he rejected their demand for an increase in the weekly working hours so that they are paid more, Hooghly Superintendent of Police (SP) Sunil Chowdhury said. The workers were paid according to the hours put in by them.

The SP said that the workers met Maheswari at 11 am in his chamber and demanded that the weekly working hours be increased to 40 from the present 25, besides submitting a list of other demands.

The refusal of the CEO to meet the workers' demands led to an altercation and the workers assaulted Maheswari.

The CEO, who suffered seriously injuries, was taken to a private nursing home where he died this afternoon, Chowdhury said.

Condemning the killing, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that it was an act of the "Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Bharatiya Janata Party goons".

"It is very unfortunate. I heard that the unions of the CPI(M) and the BJP assembled at the jute mill with their demands. When Maheswari came out to hear them when he was beaten up mercilessly. On way to hospital he succumbed to his injuries," the chief minister said while pointing out that there were no employees union of the TMC there.

Banerjee alleged, "Terror is being unleashed with provocative speeches by BJP leaders since they came to power at the Centre after the Lok Sabha election. The CPI(M) and BJP goons are creating all this nuisance."