GUWAHATI, April 12 � Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi yesterday wrote a letter to his Meghalaya counterpart Mukul Sangma urging him to hand over the case of the death of 14 labourers in the neighbouring State to the CBI.
The Chief Minister also announced a cash assistance of Rs 1 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and expressed his deep condolences to the bereaved families, an official of the CMO said.
The Meghalaya police had ruled out any foul play in the deaths though several organisations in Assam had demanded inquiry into the matter.
The Chief Minister had earlier directed Additional Chief Secretary Shyam Lal Mewara to enquire into the circumstances leading to the death of the labourers with cooperation from Meghalaya Government, an official release said here.
The construction workers, hailing from Dhubri in Assam, were suspected to have consumed a poisonous wild fruit �soh khuiatur� in Saipung village of East Jaintia Hills district on Monday last and died of food poisoning. � PTI
