Police use water cannons, lathi-charge protesting teachers in Sangrur

Parvesh Sharma
Tribune News Service
Sangrur, September 22

Police used water cannons and lathi-charged protesting teachers who were trying to march towards the residence of Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla on Sunday.

Ten protesters and six policemen suffered injuries. The protesting members belonged to ETT and TET pass unemployed teachers union.

Though protesters have lifted the blockade from Sangrur-Patiala bypass after Sangrur officers handed over a letter to protesters for a meeting with minister Singla at Chandigarh on September 30, they have announced that their fast-unto-death and protest atop a water tank on Sunam road would continue till their recruitment.

“Six-seven policemen with sticks attacked me and rained sticks on me and did not stop even after removing my turban. I have suffered injuries on my back, my legs and arms. I saved my head somehow,” alleged Harpeet Singh while showing his tossed turban.

Members of the union have been sitting atop a water tank and fast-unto-death on Sunam road since September 4 and demanding their recruitment in Punjab education department on 12^th pass basis.

Tension started today when after a protest rally in Sangrur city, they tried to reach the minister’s house by crossing the police barricade.

Initially both police and protesters pushed each other while later cops used water cannons and lathi-charged protesters.

“Male cops with sticks attacked me. I have suffered injuries on my leg. We would not end our protest till our recruitment is done in education department,” said Rajvir Kaur, another protester.

Deep Baransi, state press secretary of union, said that ten members — Mani, Gurpreet Kamboj, Sukhdev Singh, Des Raj, Harpreet Singh, Gursimrat Singh, Umesh Kumar, Rajvir Kaur, Surjit Kaur and Deepak Kamboj — have suffered injuries.

“We were protesting peacefully, but cops attacked us with sticks without any provocation. Our protest would continue as we are not afraid of lathi-charge,” said Deep.

Sangrur DSP Rural Satpal Sharma said six policemen have suffered injuries and there was no lathi-charge.

“We did not stop them from protesting, but when they tried to cross police barricade, both cops and protesters pushed each other and it led to injuries. They have lifted their blockade from Sangrur-Patiala road after getting time for meeting on September 30,” said DSP Sharma.