DIBRUGARH, July 25 � Rumour that a worker had died due to the negligence of a construction company at Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Limited (BCPL) - owned Assam Gas Cracker Project here led to a chaotic law and order situation at the project�s �energy corridor� site as the workers burnt down the office of the IVRCL Infrastructures & Projects Ltd and almost came to blows with the police forces today.
The fact is one Haren Emong, from Lower Namsai of Sivasagar district, working as welder for the IVRCL Company at the site sustained electrical injury and fainted on Saturday. He had also received head injury hours before he came in contact with electricty. Emong was rushed to a private nursing home but was released Sunday evening. He was again shifted for further medical treatment to Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) today. But the workers claimed that Emong was dead and wanted to stage demonstration.
When the Safety Engineer Bikash Handique produced Emong before a section of the agitating workers before taking him to AMCH today, the workers failed to recognize him and said that the Safety Engineer had brought another boy to deceive them. The workers surrounded Handique and assaulted him. Administrative Officer Deepak Sharma, who was present near the site was also attacked. Rumour spread that the worker who sustained injury on Saturday had died and that the company officials had produced a non-worker to state that no death had occurred. The workers then assembled and set ablaze the office of the IVRCL, burning all the computer systems, furniture, documents and other office items.
The workers nearly attacked the police force when the men in uniform tried to control the mob. The tension was doused only when the co-workers and few who knew Emong were taken to AMCH by the police to find out the truth.
