At Badal Sangat Darshan,cops rain lathis on protesting linesmen

Just as Badal — who was here to inaugurate a modern jail — reached the spot,members of the unemployed union started raising slogans against the chief minister and his government. They also showed black flags to the chief minister.

To control the protestors,the police resorted to lathicharge.

They also snatched the cameras of the journalists,who had taken pictures of them beating up the linesmen.

A handful of journalists were rounded up and made to sit in the police station for over two hours.

It was only after the intervention of the local press club that journalists were released. The cameras,however,were not returned. The press club of Faridkot has announced a boycott of the local SAD(B) unit after party leader Mantar Singh Brar tried to defend the police action on the journalists. Brar,however,denied the charges.

Meanwhile,Faridkot SSP S S S Sidhu said,“An FIR has been registered against SHO Gursher Singh and Halvaldar Bohar Singh,who were named by the journalists. They have also been suspended.”