Mamata offers jobs to bravehearts who saved people from drowning in Jalpaiguri

The State government has given ₹2 lakh as compensation to the next of kin of each of the eight people who died

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday handed over job offer letters, cheques of ₹1 lakh and certificates of appreciation to seven men who risked their lives to save people from drowning in Jalpaiguri district recently.

However, two of them did not accept the jobs offered stating that they would continue with their current profession.

These seven men saved several people from drowning during a flash flood in the Mal river here during the immersion of idols of Goddess Durga on October 5.

Out of the seven people, six were given offers of civic volunteer jobs while one, who has been a driver, was given the opportunity to work in a similar position as per his request.

The seven are Soumen Chowdhury, Mohammed Manik, Manoj Munda, Dara Singh, Biswajit Biswas, Deepak Bodka and Amiya Mahato.

A total of 450 people were saved that day in a combined effort by locals, the State administration and the disaster management groups.