Sugar mill workers's union leader die; Nitish orders probe

A sugar mill workers' union leader, who had attempted self-immolation to protest against non-payment of arrears in East Champaran district, succumbed to his burn injuries today, prompting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to order an inquiry into it.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar taking serious note of the incident ordered an inquiry into it. He has directed East Champaran District Magistrate Anupam Kumar and Superintendent of Police Jitendra Rana to jointly probe into the incident, Chief Minister Office sources said in Patna.
The union leader, Naresh Srivastava (50) succumbed to burn injuries the wee hours today during treatment at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), East Champaran district's Civil Surgeon Prashant Kumar said.

Another protester, Suraj Baitha, who had sustained burn injuries, is receiving treatment at PMCH, he said.
The two workers of the mill had yesterday set themselves afire during a protest following which they were rushed to a nearby hospital and later shifted to PMCH.
Protests erupted yesterday with workers demanding payment of their arrears and reopening of the sugar mill. They also clashed with the police personnel, injuring five of them. The police had to fire three rounds in the air and lob tear gas shells to disperse the unruly crowd.

Superintendent of Police, Jitendra Rana said that 29 people have been named in the FIR which also includes 125 unknown. Seven persons have already been arrested.

Rana told PTI in Motihari that a separate FIR would be registered against private sugar mill owner Nopani and one manager R P Singh on the basis of statement of the deceased's wife Purnima Devi in the death of her husband.
Purnima Devi has alleged that the two had send anti-social elements among protestors who pelted stones on police yesterday to aggravate the situation and during melee set her husband on fire, the SP said.