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Liquor factory alleges attack on its workers in Zira
As per Malbros International Private Limited officials, at around 9:30am 7-8 persons in an SUV were attacked and stopped from entering the factory
Malbros International Private Limited, an alcohol-making unit at Mansurwal village of Zira assembly segment in Ferozepur alleged that on Monday morning the protesters attacked a vehicle carrying its officials and workers and stopped them from entering the unit.
As per factory officials, 7-8 persons of the unit were in an SUV and were going inside the factory at around 9.30 am but a group of protesters stopped their vehicle near the entry gate alleging that they were trying to eliminate proof of pollution.
“Our employees were going inside the factory to do maintenance work so that we may resume operations but a group of protesters not only forcefully stopped them from entering the factory but also attacked their vehicle with sticks,” claimed a senior official of the factory who did not wish to be named. He added that no one was injured in the incident. He, however, didn’t confirm if factory was going to register a complaint with the police about the incident.
Police claimed that they had information and timely action stopped the incident from spiralling out of control.
“We had information about a possible confrontation between factory employees and protesters. Immediately two deputy superintendents of police along with the police force rushed to the site and rescued the factory workers from the agitated protesters,” said Kanwardeep Kaur, senior superintendent of police.
SSP said that according to factory management the team was going in for routine maintenance.
“Factory authorities are claiming that the team was going inside for routine maintenance but protesters alleged that it was an effort to eliminate proof of pollution,” SSP said, adding, “We have received a complaint from protesters against factory owners for attempting to eliminate evidence of pollution inside and we are probing the matter.”
Roman Brar, a member of Sanjha Morcha, Zira, rebuffed the charges of illegal detention or attack on the vehicle carrying factory workers but acknowledged that protesters stopped them from going inside the unit.
Water sampling from today
Sagar Setia, additional deputy commissioner (general), Ferozepur, who is the nodal officer for the probe teams, said water samples will be collected on Tuesday.
“Things are all set to collect water samples. The sampling of water by teams from two of the labs, finalised with the consent of Sanjha Morcha, Zira, will start on Tuesday. The teams of soil, animal husbandry and health, which had already accomplished their sampling or survey and will submit their respective reports by January 10,” Setia said.
Sanjha Morcha, Zira, reiterated that from January 6, they will burn effigies of the state government and hoist black flags.
While addressing the protesters, Gurmail Singh, Mansurwal sarpanch and a member of Sanjha Morcha, Zira urged the people of the state to “burn effigies of the state government and hoist black flags on their rooftops to support their agitation being held to save, sand, land and environment of state”.
