Cops cane-charge protesting PSPCL, PSTCL contractual staff near CM’s Patiala residence

Contractual employees of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and the Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL) were lathi-charged on Thursday by police near chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s residence in Patiala.

The police resorted to the use of force when hundreds of protesting employees demanding regularisation of their jobs marched towards the CM’s house. Nearly 50 protesters were detained, officials said.

Earlier, the employees gathered at the PSPCL headquarters with their children and other family members and raised slogans against the corporation for not meeting their demands.

Balihar Singh, an employee union leader, said both the state government and the PSPCL management were hell-bent on promoting privatisation in the power utility.