Protest against disengagement of local drivers by foreign company
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 30: Twenty persons were injured and five vehicles damaged in the clashes between labourers engaged in the construction of road tunnel between Chenani and Nashri and cops near the project site this morning. In order to defuse the situation, the State Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had to resort to lathi-charge and tear-gassing.
Reports said that Leighton Construction Company, which is constructing road tunnel between Chenani and Nashri, yesterday dis-engaged some local drivers over some unknown reasons. This led to protest from all the local labourers, who asked the management of the company to revoke the dis-engagement order failing which they will come on road.
Following no positive response from the company, large number of labourers gathered on the Highway near Chenani this morning and blocked the vehicular traffic for about half an hour before moving towards the project site.
At the project site, they held massive protest demonstration against the management of the company. During protest, the agitating labourers entered into scuffle with the officials of the company and even damaged four vehicles including a mini-bus, a jeep and a car.
This prompted the management of the company to approach the police for intervention and restoration of law and order at the project site. On getting information about the labourers turning violent, large number of State Police and CRPF personnel rushed to the project site.
However, on witnessing the police the labourers become more aggressive and restored to stone pelting on the cops. In order to defuse the situation, police and CRPF personnel resorted to lathi-charge on the agitating labourers and even lobbed tear-gas shells to disperse them.
In the clashes, 20 persons including five labourers, eight State Police personnel and seven CRPF jawans sustained injuries while as one police vehicle suffered extensive damage. After several hours long ding-dong battle, police succeeded in bringing the situation under control. Later, a meeting of leaders of the labourers was arranged with the management of the company to resolve the issue of dis-engagement.
“Some of the labourers, who were ready to perform their routine job, were stopped by other labourers by involving Union leaders namely Arshad Ahmed, Abdul Rashid and Mahesh Singh and they tried to forcibly enter the premises of Leighton company near the tunnel with evil intentions”, SSP Udhampur, Ashkoor Wani said.
He said that a case under Sections 307, 147, 148, 332, 427 and 341 RPC has been registered in Police Station Chenani and the investigation of the case has been taken up by SHO. One constable namely Pritam Kumar has sustained severe injuries in the clashes and he has been hospitalized.
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