Ludhiana: PSPCL officials seek FIR against outsourced staff over ‘assault’

Since the police are busy with security arrangements for Republic Day celebrations, the association has submitted its complaint online for now and they will approach the police station concerned on Monday

A day after outsourced staff, posted at Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) nodal complaint centres and complaint handling bikes, staged a demonstration at the PSPCL head office on Ferozepur Road in Ludhiana, the PSEB Engineers’ Association has decided to get an FIR registered against the protesters, alleging assault and misbehaviour.

Amandeep Singh, vice president of the association, demanded that the police administration register an FIR and take immediate stringent action against the protesters. (HT File)

Amandeep Singh, vice president of the association, demanded that the police administration register an FIR and take immediate stringent action against the protesters. Singh emphasised that such action is necessary to set an example. Since the police are busy with security arrangements for Republic Day celebrations, the association has submitted its complaint online for now and they will approach the police station concerned on Monday.

The protest, which took place on Friday, was organised by the Powercom Outsourced Technical and Office Workers Association. The workers were seeking cancellation of transfer of one Sahil Kumar from the Focal Point division. The protesters claimed that Kumar’s transfer to the Janta Nagar division was due to his affiliation with the association.

The protesters, employed under Teleperformance Global Services Private Limited, raised concerns over the “unjust deduction” of their salaries. They alleged that the company had been deducting amounts for travel allowance, housing allowance and professional tax among other things.

Simranjit Singh Hisowal, provincial president of the protesting association, denied the allegations of assault and misbehaviour. He said the protesters had gathered at the chief engineer’s office around 4:40 pm, seeking a meeting to address their grievances. “The allegations of assault and misbehaviour are faulty,” Hisowal asserted.

Harpreet, one of the protesters, said that the agitators had raised slogans when chief engineer Jagdev Singh Hans was leaving his office around 5:40 pm, as their concerns had not been addressed despite them sitting there since 9 am. “None of us misbehaved with them. The demand for registration of an FIR is an attempt to oppress our demands,” he stated.

Chief engineer Jagdev Singh Hans said the standoff was between the contractor and the protesting staff. He stated, “We have decided to lodge an FIR in wake of misbehaviour by them.”