Worker killed, five injured in tea estate mishap; protests erupt over safety neglect

Protest erupts as workers blame estate authorities for unsafe conditions & absence of proper infrastructure.;

Update: 2025-06-23 11:33 GMT
Worker killed, five injured in tea estate mishap; protests erupt over safety neglect

Kotalgoorie Tea Estate Protest on Monday

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Jorhat, June 23: A fatal accident at Kotalgoorie Tea Estate in Mariani, Jorhat, on Monday claimed the life of a tea garden worker and left five others seriously injured, sparking a protest by workers demanding accountability and improved safety measures.

The incident occurred in Section No. 2 of the estate when an overloaded vehicle transporting raw tea leaves lost control and overturned.

Several workers, who were also being transported in the same vehicle, bore the brunt of the crash. Among them was Deepak Prasad, who succumbed to his injuries while being rushed to the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH).

Locals and estate workers alleged that the accident was caused by two primary factors - the poor condition of internal roads within the estate and the continued use of outdated vehicles to transport both goods and people. The absence of an ambulance at the time of the accident further worsened public outrage.

Soon after the incident, workers staged a protest in front of the estate’s administrative office, accusing the management and local authorities of gross negligence and failure to provide basic safety infrastructure.

“The internal roads are in terrible shape, and the vehicles are decades old. There’s no proper transport, no ambulance — how long must we endure this neglect?” a protester said.

Maheshwar Gowala, President of the Jorhat Tea Labour Union, condemned the incident, calling it “heartbreaking”.

“I didn’t witness it personally, but based on the information I received, the overloaded vehicle skidded near a drain. Four workers managed to jump off, but one unfortunately fell and was crushed under the weight of the tea leaf sacks,” Gowala said.

He confirmed that the vehicle involved in the accident was outdated and unfit for such transportation duties.

“The vehicle was clearly too old. We will conduct a thorough investigation, and if the management is found to be responsible, we will demand justice and proper compensation for the affected workers,” he added.

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