Mass suicide bid by rural workers foiled

The protestors from across the state were sitting on a chain hunger strike in front of Vikas Bhawan for the last 35 days against their retrenchment from service. They were employed on contractual basis in June 2006 to run civil dispensaries under control of zila parishads in rural areas but their services were discontinued recently.

The protestors,led by Punjab Rural Health Workers’ Union president Varinder Kumar Kamboj,today barged into Vikas Bhawan and tried to go upstairs. A few of them even carried bottles of kerosene oil in their bid to commit self-immolation.

Though a few cops stationed at Vikas Bhawan tried to prevent the protestors from moving ahead,a group of around 10 protestors managed to reach the rooftop,from where they threatened to jump down after setting themselves on fire.

But heavy police force,led by SP (City) Sukhwant Singh Gill and SDM R P S Walia,soon reached the spot and managed to pacify the frayed tempers. The officials arranged a telecon of protestors with Punjab Chief Minister’s Advisor Daljit Singh Cheema and Director,Rural Development and Panchayats,Gurdev Singh Sidhu,who assured to sort out the issue amicably.

Later,a five-member delegation of the protestors left to meet Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in Chandigarh but not before threatening to sit on a fast unto death from tomorrow if the CM failed to issue orders to restore their services.