Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday instructed Murshidabad district officials to ensure that the families of five migrant labourers who had been gunned down by militants in Kashmir last month got the death certificates of the deceased at the earliest.

The instruction was issued when Mamata visited the relatives of the five at Bahalnagar near Sagardighi.

Following a civic meeting in Sagardighi’s Dhomarpahar around 2pm, Mamata’s motorcade drove 5km to Bahalnagar where the chief minister spoke to the bereaved families at the home of deceased migrant labourer Kamruddin Sheikh.

“After hearing the concerns of the grieving families, she instructed Murshidabad SP Mukesh to coordinate with the Kashmiri government and to expedite the process of getting death certificates of the five labourers,” said a district official who was present.

District magistrate J.P. Mina was also present when Mamata spoke to the families.

“The families are in dire need of these document for administrative and legal purposes,” the official said.

On the night of October 29, Kamruddin Sheikh, Mursalim Sheikh, Rafikul Sheikh, Rafiq Sheikh and Naimuddin Sheikh had been gunned down outside Kulgam in Kashmir by militants who had suspected them of being spies.

The incident highlighted the plight of several migrant labourers from the Murshidabad district, many of whom made an annual journey to Kashmir as apple pickers for wages that they could not earn in Bengal.

After the carnage, the Bengal government made arrangements for the return of more than 100 workers to their homes in Murshidabad.

Sources said the chief minister had handed over Rs 50,000 each to 20 such workers in Bahalnagar on Wednesday.

The families and friends of the deceased labourers also raised concerns regarding jobs before Mamata. “The chief minister said district officials would get in touch with them but did not give any explicit assurances,” said a source.

The chief minister arrived in Sagardighi after attending a string of meetings in north Bengal. Mamata also addressed an administrative meeting at Rabindra Sadan in Behrampore later in the day.

“Didi personally instructed the principal secretary of the public works department at the Behrampore meeting to build a bus stand at Bahalnagar More in the memory of the five slain labourers,” said a source.

While leaving the venue, district officials introduced Mamata to Jahiruddin Sarkar, who had been injured in the Kashmir attack. The sources said the chief minister had spoken to Sarkar and his wife for a few minutes and reportedly assured him of Rs 1 lakh for medical expenses.

Mamata also contacted Jangipur MP Khalilur Rahman, who is a businessman, regarding providing Sarkar with a job.

“The chief minister also directed district officials to provide the slain labourers’ families with homes under the Bangla Awas Yojana scheme,” said an official.