Vacant posts row: Youth Congress extends support to students protesting at PAU in Ludhiana

Punjab Youth Congress president Brinder Singh Dhillon visited the PAU and addressed the protesting students. On Sunday, the protesting students had said that they would stage a protest against chief minister Bhagwant Mann, who is stated to visit the city on Independence Day

Punjab Youth Congress president Brinder Singh Dhillon on Monday extended support to Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) students who continued their protest against the state government on the 13th consecutive day on the PAU campus.

Students on the 13th day of protest at gate number 1 of PAU in Ludhiana. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

Dhillon, along with other party workers, visited the PAU campus and addressed the protesting students.

On Sunday, the protesting students had said that they would stage a protest against chief minister Bhagwant Mann, who is stated to visit the city on Independence Day.

The members of Punjab Agricultural University Students Association (PAUSA) have been protesting over non-fulfilment of vacant posts in the state agriculture and horticulture departments and the failure of the Punjab government to provide employment to educated youth.

As per the protesting students, 410 posts of agriculture development officer; 350 posts of agriculture sub-inspector, 125 posts of horticulture development officer, 129 posts of soil conservation officer and 56 posts of market secretary are currently vacant.

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Ludhiana To ensure security and test the efficiency of cops ahead of the 75th Independence Day, the police conducted two mock drills in the city, one at a government school in Haibowal and another at Division number 6 police station. The police created a dummy situation that the division number 6 police station has been stormed by a group of terrorists. The police department was given a task to take the control over the situation and to neutralize the terrorists. Commissioner of police Kaustubh Sharma himself reached the police station to see the police team in action. Ambulance and fire brigade also reached on time. The police conducted another drill at a government school in Haibowal, where a pseudo-prisoner, who had escaped from the jail, hid in the school and he was possessing explosives. The police made the building vacant. Joint commissioner of police Narinder Bhargav, along with a police team, reached the spot. The CP said, “ The police are alerted and capable of handling such situations.” He added that such exercise would be carried out in future also.

2 groups indulge into scuffle on Gill road, escape before police arrive

Ludhiana Two groups indulged into a scuffle on Gill road near the municipal corporation’s (MC) Zone-C on Sunday late. The police had nabbed one of the accused, but his aides managed to freed him from the police custody and fled. Shubham Gandhi of Barota road, with one of his relatives, had come to smoke at the said area, where he indulged into a scuffle with a group of people. Both of the parties called their aides, gathering at least 50 people. Meanwhile, someone informed the police, following which the Division number 6 police reached the spot. After seeing the police, the accused escaped from the spot. The police nabbed one of the accused, but his aides managed to freed him. Assistant sub-inspector Kapil Kumar, the investigating officer, said the police would take action after receiving a complaint.