Pharmacist tries to immolate himself during protest in Mohali

Tribune News Service

Mohali, March 17

High drama was witnessed on the road leading to the Burail jail in Chandigarh, near the Punjab School Education Board building, as one of the protesting members of the Punjab Rural Health Pharmacist Union tried to self-immolate by pouring petrol on himself this afternoon.

Around 100 members of the union, including women, were stopped by the Chandigarh and Mohali police as they were trying to enter Chandigarh.

Amidst shouting of slogans against the state government and the Punjab Police, a protester took out a bottle containing petrol and started pouring the fuel on himself. The police swung into action and caught him, which resulted in a ruckus at the site.

To disperse the agitators, the Mohali police resorted to a mild lathicharge. They also arrested five protesters under preventive measures, who were taken to the Phase VIII police station and later released on bail granted by SDM Lakhmir Singh.

The contract period of protesting pharmacists was going to end on March 31 and they were demanding that either their services be regularised or their contract extended.

The SDM assured them of arranging their meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal soon.

Earlier, a large posse of policemen, including SP (Detective) GS Grewal, SP (City) Gagan Ajit Singh and DSP (Detective) Harsimrat Singh, reached the spot to avoid any untoward incident during the protest.