Sangrur: Minister Goyal visits families of Alisher accident victims

He also enquired about the condition of the injured and assured the families that the Punjab government, led by chief minister Bhagwant Mann, stands with them in this hour of grief

Punjab cabinet minister Barinder Kumar Goyal visited the homes of MGNREGA workers, who lost their lives or sustained injuries in the tragic road accident near Alisher village and shared the grief of their families.

Goyal said support for the affected families would extend beyond immediate financial relief. (HT)

He also enquired about the condition of the injured and assured the families that the Punjab government, led by chief minister Bhagwant Mann, stands with them in this hour of grief.

During his interaction with the affected families, the minister listened to their concerns and assessed their needs. He said the government would make every possible effort to help them cope with the tragedy and support their rehabilitation.

Goyal described the accident as deeply unfortunate and heartbreaking. He said words could not express the grief of families who had lost their loved ones. While the loss was irreparable, supporting the affected families and helping them meet their daily needs was a shared responsibility of the government and society.

He said financial assistance of ₹10 lakh was being provided to the family of each person who died in the accident. Efforts were also underway to provide five-marla plots to homeless and needy affected families. He added that ensuring necessary medical treatment and appropriate assistance to the injured was also a government priority.

Goyal said support for the affected families would extend beyond immediate financial relief. He added that employment opportunities in the forest department and other departments were being explored, subject to the applicable rules and eligibility criteria.

Eight MGNREGA workers were killed on Sunday when a speeding car hit them while they were resting and drinking water along the Jakhal-Lehra road near Alisher village in Sangrur district, Punjab. Of the deceased, six were women and two were men. Police also said that all the deceased belonged to Alisher village, while the 12 injured were receiving treatment at various hospitals, including Sangrur Civil Hospital, and hospitals in Patiala and Lehragaga.