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Day after protest, 900 Powercom workers booked for suicide bid
Civil lines station house officer Gurpreet Singh Bhindar said the protesters threatened to jump from streetlight poles, if their demands were not met; nine protesters have been named in the FIR
Patiala A day after contractual employees of Powercom protested near the residence of Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, district police have booked 900 of them, including nine by name, on Friday. Two of the protesters had climbed atop a streetlight pole, along with a child, over their demand of regularisation of jobs. The child could be brought down only after great difficulty.
Civil lines station house officer (SHO) Gurpreet Singh Bhindar said the protesters threatened to jump from streetlight poles, if their demands were not met. “We have named nine protesters in the FIR, while 900 unidentified persons have also been booked,” he added.
Balihar Singh, state president of Powercom and Transco contractual employees union, claimed, “On Thursday, police resorted to lathi-charge for no reason as we were holding a peaceful march towards the residence of the chief minister.”
“We were protesting along with our families and children. The government had failed to listen our demands, following which two of the protestors climbed atop a street-light, with a child,” he said.
Police have registered a case under Sections 309 (attempt to suicide) and Section 387 (Putting person in fear of death or of grievous hurt to commit extortion), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public function) of the Indian Penal Code.
