Police on Friday resorted to a lathicharge to disperse apprentice linemen protesting outside the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) headquarters here after they blocked both entry gates.
The protesters, under the banner of the Apprenticeship Lineman Union, have been staging a sit-in outside the power utilities’ headquarters since June 1, demanding regularisation of services and exemption from a proposed recruitment examination for assistant lineman posts.
Union leaders claimed 20 protesters sustained injuries during the police action and were admitted to the nearby hospitals for treatment. Protesters continued their sit-in at the complex’s main gate.
Around 10 protesters were admitted to Government Rajindra Hospital with injuries. One suffered a wound above the eye, while others sustained fractures. According to police, the situation escalated when protesters, who had been sitting outside the main gate, attempted to block the second entry gate as well.
Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Sanjiv Singla said police intervened to clear the passage after repeated appeals to the protesters went unheeded.
“The protesters have blocked the main gate since June 1. Today, they also blocked the second gate. Despite repeated requests, they refused to clear the site. We were left with no option but to use force to clear the gate. A few protesters have been detained, and an FIR will be registered against those who obstructed the entry,” he said.
The protesters condemned the police action, maintaining that their agitation was peaceful.
“We were peacefully demanding jobs. Instead, the police used force against us. Several protesters were injured, but we will continue our struggle,” said Veerinder Pratap Singh of Ferozepur, who was among those injured.
The protest was triggered by the recent PSPCL’s decision to recruit assistant linemen.
Union president Surinder Singh Jalalabad alleged that the PSPCL management had ignored trained apprentices, who were expecting employment upon completion of their training.
“Apprentices receive a monthly stipend of ₹10,560 during training. We were told that after completing the apprenticeship period, trained candidates would be accommodated. Instead, the government has chosen to go for direct recruitment,” he said.
Oppn condemns police action
The incident drew sharp reactions from the opposition parties, with the Shiromani Akali Dal and Congress condemning and criticising the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government over the use of force.
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said, “The government has failed to provide jobs and instead unleashed repression on jobless youth.”
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal accused the state government of suppressing the voice of unemployed youth.
“The cases against the protesters should be withdrawn immediately, and their grievances should be relieved through dialogue,” he said.
AAP spokesperson Neel Garg declined to comment on the police action, and party media in-charge Baltej Pannu did not respond to repeated calls and messages seeking his reaction.
