LPG shortage: Left leaders block highway,arrested

Over 100 CPM workers,including state secretary Rakesh Singha and Kuldeep Tanwar,were arrested on Friday evening for blocking the National Highway at Theog on the call given by the Kisan Sabha — a farmers’ wing of the party. They were later released.

The CPM workers were protesting the alleged non-availability of the LPG cylinders in the area. Recently,the LPG depot was closed by the district administration following concern about a high tension wire criss-crossing over the depot and thus posing a serious threat to the lives of the people.

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CPM leader Tikender Singh Panwar criticised the government for the arrests,and said: “It is shocking how the administration has become so callous about the people’s problems. The outfit had given a call for a blockade but despite this there was no effort on the part of the government to initiate a dialogue with the protesters.”

The blockade continued for over five hours.