Three killed in landslide in Bengal

A house was crushed under the landslide in Darjeeling leaving three people dead. Police said that the landslide was caused due to leakage in a water pipeline passing of the house. CM Mamata Banerjee has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased.

Darjeeling (West Bengal): Three members of a family, including a five-year-old boy, were killed after their house was crushed under a landslide in West Bengal's Darjeeling district, police said on Sunday.

The incident occurred on Saturday when the occupants of the house in Lodhoma area were asleep, a police officer said. Initially, there was speculation that the landslide might have been caused by loosening of soil but it was caused due to leakage in a water pipeline passing of the house, he said.

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The bodies were retrieved from under the debris and sent to a hospital in Darjeeling town for post-mortem examination, the officer said. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased. Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) chairman Anit Thapa announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 1 lakh each for the family of the deceased. (PTI REPORT)