Chandigarh: Second FIR in two months against PGI contract workers

UT Police have registered the FIR against contract workers for staging an unauthorised protest on Saturday, disrupting critical patient services.

UT Police have registered a fresh FIR against contract workers of PGIMER for staging an unauthorised protest on Saturday, disrupting critical patient services. This is the second such FIR in two months, following an earlier protest on August 9.

PGI attendants protesting outside the PGI director’s office last week. (Ravi Kumar/HT)

The latest protest involved over 4,000 contractual workers under the banner of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), representing multiple unions, including hospital attendants, sanitation workers, security guards, and other essential service providers. The demonstration was staged near Kairon Block, despite ongoing conciliation proceedings.

The workers’ actions violated the district magistrate’s order dated August 28, which restricts unauthorised rallies, dharnas, and protests. Police registered the FIR under Section 223 (disobedience to orders promulgated by public servants) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Sector 11 police station.

According to the complaint filed by assistant sub-inspector Dilbag Singh from PGI Police Post, the protest was led Rajesh Chauhan, president of the hospital attendant contract-based employee union, and Sukhdev, advisor of the All PGI Contract Workers Union. Despite warnings to disperse, the protesters defied the DM’s orders and continued their demonstration. The latest FIR follows an earlier case registered against the contractual workers for holding an unauthorised protest within PGIMER premises on August 9.