Minor scuffle breaks out between protesters, policemen in Phagwara

Our Correspondent

Phagwara, October 1

Tension prevailed here today after irate members of the “Divyang Action Committee”, led by its president Lakhbir Singh Saini, proceeded towards the GT Road to block traffic on the National Highways near the Phagwara Rest House. However, the police put up barricades to stop them from marching ahead. It led to a minor scuffle between cops and the protesters. Earlier, the protesters held a dharna on the Rest House premises for several hours.

Phagwara SDM Jai Inder Singh, Tehsildar Baljinder Singh and DSP Jaspreet Singh rushed to the spot to pacify the protesters.

The protesters alleged that despite repeated assurances, the administration failed to arrange a meeting between the Action Committee and the Chief Minister. They were demanding government jobs to handicapped persons as per their qualification, waiving bus fare for handicapped persons, increasing handicapped pensions and implementation of the Handicapped Welfare Act-2016 in Punjab.

Davinder Kaur, state president of the Divyang Action Committee Mahila Wing, Punjab, Ranveer Singh, cashier, Divyang Action Committee, Kapurthala district, and Lakhbir Saini alleged that despite several meetings with the officers, nothing had been done so far.

The situation took any ugly turn when the protesters, holding black flags, marched towards the highway to block traffic. However, the police stopped them. Saini’s turban came off during a minor scuffle. The protesters started raising slogans against the Punjab Government and the police administration.

The police said Lakhbir Saini pulled the legs of a policeman. As a result, he fell down. In the meantime, his turban came off on its own. After the intervention of SDM Jai Inder Singh, the protesters lifted the dharna late this evening. The SDM spoke to the Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner from the dharna site and assured to fix a meeting of the Action Committee with the state government by October 3.

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