Over two dozen, including policemen, injured in clash at RCF

Kapurthala, Apr 17 (UNI) At least 24 people, including security personnel and workers of the Rail Coach Factory (RCF), were injured in a clash between the workers and the police here today.

Sadar Police Station SHO Balbir Singh received head injuries, while six police constables and 10 RPF personnel, including three inspectors, were injured in a brick batting by the mob at Shell Assembly shop, when they tried to rescue Chief Works Engineer (CWE) Balram Singh from the crowd's fury.

The trouble started when the management transferred Harninder Singh from Shell Assembly shop to Furnishing shop on Saturday to which employees objected and gheraoed CWE Balram Singh in protest.

Harninder Singh, who received sharp injuries on his arms, was admitted to the local civil hospital and stated to be out of danger while others were discharged after the first aid.

Harninder was an eyewitness in a complaint against CWE for pointing a revolver at union leader Brij Mohan, a few days back.

Today when Deputy Chief Mechanical Engineer Gaurav Aggarwal visited the workshop, the agitating employees demanding the cancellation of transfer orders of Harninder, man-handled him.

When CWE Balram Singh, reached the spot and confronted the workers to join their duties, the irate workers also man-handled him.

However, he escaped with the timely intervention of police and RPF.

RCF General Manager Yashpal Gupta told mediapersons that nine senior officers were manhandled by the employees in the workshop.

The GM said the railway ministry resolved the corporatisation issue by withdrawing the proposal but the union leaders were still misguiding the people on the issue.

He alleged that Union leaders first forcibly stopped the suppliers and their labourers to perform their jobs as per tender agreements resulting decline in production of coaches from five to one coach per day after the agitation started.

UNI XC DP SB KN1900