Ludhiana: Teachers call for safe postings after 2 killed, 2 injured on polling day
The protest was triggered by a tragic incident on December 14, when teachers Jaskaran Singh Bhullar and his wife, Kamaljit Kaur, were killed after their car fell into a water channel while they were heading to election duty in Moga
Various teachers’ organisations staged a district-level protest against the Punjab government and the State Election Commission here on Tuesday, demanding justice for teachers who lost their lives or were injured while performing election duties during the recently concluded zila parishad and block samiti elections.
The protest was triggered by a tragic incident on December 14, when teachers Jaskaran Singh Bhullar and his wife, Kamaljit Kaur, were killed after their car fell into a water channel while they were heading to election duty in Moga.
The unions described the incident as a grim reflection of administrative apathy. Similar accidents involving teachers on poll duty were also reported from other districts.
In Sangrur, associate teacher Rajveer Kaur sustained serious injuries after her vehicle plunged into a canal, while another teacher, Paramjit Kaur, was injured in a road accident in Patiala.
Teachers’ unions alleged that these incidents were the result of poor planning, negligence and the arbitrary deployment of teaching staff to far-flung and unsafe locations without adequate logistical support.
Addressing the gathering, Daljit Singh Samrala, district president of the Democratic Teachers’ Front, and general secretary Harjit Singh Sudhar demanded that ₹2 crore compensation for each deceased teacher be deposited in the names of their children. They also sought a government commitment to cover the children’s education and to reserve government jobs for them in the future.
For teachers injured while on election duty, the unions demanded compensation of ₹20 lakh each, full and free medical treatment at the government’s expense, and that their recovery period be recognised as on-duty time. They also called for the immediate withdrawal of FIR recommendations filed against teachers during the elections.
The protesters also called for structural reforms in the deployment of teachers for election work. They demanded that election duties be assigned only within teachers’ residential or working blocks and opposed the practice of assigning multiple responsibilities, including separate booth level officer (BLO) duties. Leaders reminded the government of its poll promise to free teachers from non-academic work.
Several teacher leaders from Ludhiana and other districts said repeated requests had been made to ensure safer duty conditions, exemptions for mothers of young children and teachers suffering from serious illnesses, and proper arrangements for food and accommodation at polling booths.
They alleged that these concerns were ignored, leading to avoidable tragedies. Terming the deaths “institutional failures” rather than accidents, the unions warned of intensified agitation if justice is not delivered soon, adding that the next course of action would be announced shortly.
The protesters later submitted a memorandum addressed to Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann citing their demands.
