Three of family killed in landslide in Bengal's Darjeeling

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 early on Saturday when the occupants of the house in Lodhoma area were asleep, a police officer said.

Prima facie, it seems that the landslide might have been caused by loosening of soil due to leakage in a water pipeline passing by the house, he said. 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..