Kolkata: In a gruesome incident, 21 people including two women, were burnt to death in a house at Dalgaon tea estate in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district today (November 6).

State IGP (Law and Order) Chayan Mukherjee said some unidentified miscreants set the house of Tarakeswar Lohar, secretary of a CITU-affiliated mazdoor union in the tea garden on fire.

The Officer-in-Charge of Falakata police station, who reached the spot at around 8.30 AM (IST) found that the house was in flames. He immediately informed the fire brigade which doused the fire, Mukherjee said.

All the 21 charred bodies were recovered from the house, he said adding that so far 106 people were arrested in connection with the incident.

To a question, the IGP said that tension prevailed in the tea garden over the recruitment of some clerks and the incident might have connection with it.

To another question, the IGP said that he was not aware whether there was clash between two trade unions.

Additional police force was rushed to the spot.

PTI