Ludhiana: Curfew was on Saturday lifted from
three police station areas in the industrial town rocked by
protests by migrant labourers over alleged snatching of wages
from them.
The labourers, hailing mainly from Bihar and Uttar
Pradesh, yesterday set afire some vehicles and clashed with
police following which authorities imposed indefinite curfew
in five police station areas.
The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ludhiana
said curfew has been lifted from three police station areas of
Division No 7, Sahnewal and Shimlapuri.
The security personnel would, however, maintain a
strict vigil in these areas.
The curfew would remain in force in two police
station areas of Focal Point and Division No 6, he said.
Violence erupted in the area after a labourer Sube
Lal, who had been robbed of cash during the day was allegedly
not heard by police at the Dhandari Kalan Police Post where he
had gone to report the incident on Thursday night.
Migrant labourers re-grouped yesterday morning and
indulged in violence in more areas, including blocking road
and rail traffic passing through the town.
Police used fire gas and batons to quell the
protests. 15 policemen were also injured in the brick batting
yesterday.
Police personnel, including eight battalions of the
Punjab Armed Police and those summoned from neighbouring
districts, have been deployed in strength in the town to
maintain peace in view of the agitation and also a religious
congregation scheduled in the area later today.
Police personnel have been deployed in strength to
ensure that the religious congregation to be attended by a
large number of people passes off peacefully, the SSP said.
The traffic on the Delhi-Ludhiana-Jalandhar National
Highway has been diverted via the Sirhind Canal by-pass road
from Doraha in view of the tension at Sahnewal due to the
protests by the migrants.
Vehicular traffic on other roads passing through the
town has been restored. Rail traffic disrupted by the protests
has also been restored.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, December 05, 2009, 11:12