SILCHAR, July 10 � The Borojalenga Tea Garden manager Hrishi Malhotra has appealed for police security after he and some of his colleagues were allegedly threatened by a section of the garden labourers. Malhotra said that he recently filed an FIR against the garden worker Ajay Fulmali and some others at the Dorgakona Police out post and is awaiting action against his complaint.
It is learnt that on June 1, the workers of the garden got engaged into a verbal duel with Malhotra, his colleagues assistant manager Sunil Singh and accountant Saurav Singh during a party, leading to a dispute. Later, the Cachar district administration called a meeting to solve the row between the garden management and the labourers on June 7. The joint secretary of Barak Cha Sramik Union, Sanatan Misra also attended the meeting. However, since the annoyed labourers were not ready to accept Malhotra as the garden manager, the district administration called another meeting on June 10 but the labourers were unmoved. In their words, the garden can run even without the manager.
Meanwhile, Malhotra feels his life is in jeopardy in the garden as there had been constant threats. �Despite my positive intent and approach towards the betterment of the garden fraternity, I have been threatened with severe consequences if I continue to stay and work here. There have been instances of garden managers in the valley being killed due to fury among the labourers I have my wife living with me and it is impossible to stay without police protection,� Malhotra said.
