M A I N   N E W S

Worker thrown into furnace, dies
Irate villagers block traffic
Nawal Kishore Rastogi

Rewari, August 4
Following detection of alleged bungling, Rakesh Kumar (32), accountant of the local Gulzar Metals (manufacturer of copper utensils), was mercilessly beaten up and thrown into a burning furnace in the factory premises last evening.

When Ashok Kumar, younger brother of the deceased, who happened to be there on an errand, came to know of the tragic event, he dashed to Narainpur village, about 6 km from here, and broke the news to his family members and others.

A wave of indignation swept Narainpur and adjoining villages and hundreds of irate villagers came here and gheraoed the factory at about 11 p.m.

The gherao was lifted after an assurance by the district police chief as well as the Deputy Commissioner following which a case of murder under Sections 302 and 34, IPC, was registered and Mr Surender Kumar Jain, owner of the factory, arrested by the police. The factory has been sealed and a police contingent posted outside its main gate.

A delegation of irate villagers led by Congress legislator Capt Ajay Singh Yadav today met the DC and the SP and demanded a high-level probe into the circumstances leading to the tragic incident and also adequate compensation for the family of the deceased.

Later, the villagers blocked traffic on the Rewari-Narnaul road near Narainpur village. The blockade was lifted after the police used mild force to disperse the villagers.

The body of the deceased, after a post-mortem examination at the PGIMS, Rohtak, arrived today at Narainpur where the cremation was attended by a large number of people.