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PDP activists clash with police over stranded passengers
In an attempt to politicise the issue of passengers stranded at the bus stand here, activists of People's Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday held a protest demonstration and tried to close the main road, resulting in a scuffle with police, followed by a light canecharge.
In an attempt to politicise the issue of passengers stranded at the bus stand here, activists of People's Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday held a protest demonstration and tried to close the main road, resulting in a scuffle with police, followed by a light canecharge.
The PDP activists, led by their state vice-president Rajinder Manhas, reached the bus stand on Thursday morning, and after taking stock of the condition of the stranded passengers, started raising slogans against the state government for its "neglect". Later, they tried to block the main road.
A police contingent headed by deputy superintendent (city) Kulbir Handa rushed to the site and tried to disperse the protesters. However, the team had to resort to lathicharge after it failed to disperse them.
Though no injury was reported during the canecharge, the PDP activists accused the police contingent of thrashing protesters and stranded passengers.
Addressing mediapersons, Manhas alleged that the activists were "peacefully" protesting the "state coalition government's neglect of passengers stranded at the bus stand", but police resorted to lathicharge without any dialogue with the protesters.
He alleged that shopkeepers were charging twice as much for products, while hotel rooms normally available for Rs 200 were being rented at Rs 2,000, leaving passengers broke.
Manhas warned that if proper arrangements for their stay and meals were not made within the next 24 hours, they would intensify their protest and close the main road.
