Auckland jute mill shuts down

Kolkata: Over 3,500 workers of the Auckland jute mill in Bhatpara-Jagaddal, North 24-Parganas, were rendered jobless following suspension of work at the factory. The indefinite shutdown was declared on Saturday after the production manager of the mill was allegedly attacked by a group of outsiders around 5.30 am, sparking labour unrest.Shankar Debnath, the production manager, sustained serious injuries after being assaulted with bamboo sticks inside the mill premises early on Saturday morning. He is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital off EM Bypass.Police arrested one person, Avishek Chowdhury. A juvenile associate was also detained. DCP (North), Barrackpore Commissionerate, Ganesh Biswas said, "Raids are underway to trace others seen in the CCTV footage."Tensions escalated later in the morning when workers arrived for duty to find the main gate locked with a suspension notice pasted on it. The workers began an agitation outside the mill gates, protesting both the attack and the management's decision to suspend operations. A large police contingent, including Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Combat Force personnel, was deployed to maintain order.A senior mill official said: "Production was hampered due to the unrest. We were left with no choice but to suspend operations until normalcy returns."