Jobless PT instructors cane-charged near Punjab CM’s Sangrur residence

Punjab Police on Monday resorted to mild cane charge followed by firing of water cannons as unemployed physical training instructors tried to break barricades near the CM’s residence in Sangrur

Police on Monday resorted to mild cane charge followed by water cannons as unemployed physical training instructors (PTIs) tried to break barricades near the chief minister’s residence in Sangrur.

One of the women protesters fell unconscious and was shifted to the local civil hospital. (HT Photo)

One of the protesting women fell unconscious and was shifted to the local civil hospital. The protestors, up in arms over a decade-long delay in recruitments on 646 posts of PTI, had gathered near the CM’s residence and tried to march towards it around 11am.

However, cops stopped them and resorted to mild cane charge. About two hours later, the protesters again tried to break the barricades, and this time, the police fired water cannons to prevent them from proceeding further.

The state government had started the recruitment of PTIs in 2011, but it got stuck in litigation for a decade. In November 2021, the Punjab and Haryana high court directed the government to complete the process.

Gurlab Singh, state president of the union, said: “Recruitment of 646 teachers has been hanging fire since 2011 due to negligence and failure of the state government. We have won the case in the high court. Despite that, we are yet to get jobs.”