Bantwal: Hundreds of Beedi workers rushed to collect pension coupons from Beedi and General Workers’ Union office after the authorities allotted a time for collection and what happened after that was a ‘real stampede’ with no deaths however in Bantwal on November 26.
Most women and elderly gathered in front of the union office in Panemangalur near Bantwal suffered.
Workers lined up at 7 am in the morning but the distribution of coupons was delayed beyond 12 noon. Many lost patience due to the inordinate delay while some standing in the queue for hours fell unconscious, unable to bear the scorching sun.
Few others were seen lying down near a post office closeby and the rest cursed those in charge of distribution.
This incident again showed poor planning by the authorities who had plenty of ways to distribute the coupons in an orderly manner.
