Irate JCT Mill workers protest pending dues

Tension prevailed in JCT Colony late on Sunday night when about two hundred irate workers of JCT Mill, Phagwara gheraoed the residence of Sameer Thapar and Mukulika Sinha, both directors of the mill, in protest against the non-payment of salaries, allowances, bonus and other dues lying pending for the last six months

The protesters were demanding immediate arrest of both directors for the alleged PF and ESI frauds.

They alleged that nothing had been done by the government to book the directors for the PF and ESI scam which has been exposed by the departments concerned.

Phagwara DSP Bharat Bhushan rushed to the site to pacify the agitators but the protesters went on alleging that Thapar was trying to sell the machinery of the mill and could escape on Monday.

Though Sameer Thapar and Mukulika Sinha came out in the presence of local police and gave the assurance that dues of the labourers/workers would be cleared before Diwali, his assurance could not pacify the protesters.

A police force led by Superintendent of Police Rupinder Kaur Bhatti reached the site to control the mob of provoked workers.

The labourers demanded written assurance from Thapar in the presence of SP, Phagwara. The protest continued till midnight and the workers were seen present outside the residence of Thapar. The protesters were apprehensive that Sameer Thapar could escape. The cops were trying to convince them that a written assurance would be taken by Thapar in the presence of the Superintendent of Police, Phagwara soon. The protesters were later pacified after the assurance of SP Bhatti.