Jharkhand migrants killed in Goa nightclub fire cremated
The last rites of the three migrant workers from Jharkhand, killed in the fire at the Goa nightclub, were performed at their native places on Monday.
Pradeep Mahto (24) and Binod Mahto (20), two brothers from Fatehpur village in Lapung in Ranchi district, and Mohit Munda (22) of Govindpur village in Khunti district died in the inferno that ravaged the North Goa club post-midnight on Sunday.
A total of 25 people, including 14 staff members of the nightclub, were killed in the fire.
The bodies of Pradeep, Binod and Mohit, who used to work at the nightclub, were brought back to the state in the morning by a flight.
The mortal remains of Pradeep and Binod were cremated on the bank of the Karo River in Lapung, around 60 km from the state capital, in the presence of villagers and block officials.
The brothers had migrated to Goa about a year ago and used to send around Rs 30,000 per month to their family.
“Both were unmarried. They were scheduled to celebrate Holi with us next year,” their elder brother Phagu Mahto said.
Mohit’s last rites were performed as per tribal customs at his native village.
Agriculture Minister Shilpy Neha Tirkey, who coordinated with the Goa government to bring back the bodies, said all three belonged to her Mandar constituency.
“The bodies were sent to their native villages in special ambulances. I will request Chief Minister Hemant Soren for some welfare provisions for the families of the victims,” she told PTI.
The Labour Department has handed Rs 50,000 each to the families of the victims as immediate assistance.
Disaster Management Minister Irfan Ansari said compensation of Rs 4 lakh each would be provided to the kin of the workers.
“There is no such particular provision in this regard. However, as it is a very pro-people government led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, we have decided to give the compensation,” he told reporters outside the assembly.
Ansari urged the Centre to provide compensation of Rs 1 crore to the families of each deceased.
