City-1 police station SHO Inspector Lakhwinder Singh has been transferred to district police lines following the suspension of Barnala DSP Satvir Singh over the alleged lathicharge and assault on sanitation workers.
The action was taken amid mounting pressure from sanitation workers, who had threatened to launch a state-wide agitation from Monday if their demands were not met.
The workers are demanding the dismissal of both the DSP and the SHO, along with the registration of criminal cases against them under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The incident has triggered strong political backlash, with opposition parties extending support to the workers.
Senior Congress leaders, including Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, and MLAs Rana Gurjit Singh, Pargat Singh and Kuldeep Singh Dhillon, are scheduled to meet the agitating sanitation workers in Barnala on Saturday to express solidarity.
State-level leaders of sanitation workers’ unions are also expected to assemble in Barnala to decide their future course of action, including the proposed state-wide agitation.
The clash resulted in injuries to 18 sanitation workers and four police personnel. At least 12 workers were hospitalised. The workers have alleged that police did not record their statements.
Later, when protesters gathered at Handiaya Bazar and allegedly hurled garbage at the police, another round of lathi charge was reportedly carried out.
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