Ludhiana/ Chandigarh: The Punjab police has booked 7000 to 8000 teachers in two FIRs registered at Salem Tabri police station on Sunday (March 25). The FIR numbers 141 and 142 are registered under section 188 IPC and section 283 along with section 8-A of National Highways Act 1956 respectively. The FIRs are registered against 19 persons by name along with 7000 to 8000 unidentified persons in relation to a protest held by the teachers at Ludhiana-Jalandhar Bypass in Ludhiana.
Those named in both the FIRs include Sukhwinder Singh Chahal, Bhupinder Singh Warraich, Balkar Singh Valtoha, Kulwant Singh Gill, Bal Singh Khaira, Sukhraj Singh Kahlon, Didar Singh Mudki, Gurwinder Singh Tarantaran, Amritpal Singh Sidhu, Gurjinder Pal Singh, Harvinder Singh Bilga, Hakam Singh, Hardeep Singh Todar, Sukhjinder Singh Harika, Jaswant Singh Pannu, Sukhraj Singh, Pardeep Malluka and Jagseer Sahota.
Section 188 of IPC is imposed (in FIR 141) for allegedly disobeying order ‘duly promulgated by public servant’ as according to the FIR the teachers were given permissions to hold the protest GALADA ground near Grains Market on Chandigarh road in Ludhiana but they held the rally at Ludhiana-Jalandhar bypass purportedly without permission.
Section 283 of IPC is imposed (in FIR 142) for allegedly obstructing the public way. Interestingly, section 8A of National Highways Act 1956 which is attached in FIR 142 deals with “Power of Central Government to enter into agreements for development and maintenance of national highways” and does not contain any provision that could be considered as an offence.
FIR NUMBER 141 READS AS FOLLOWS:
FIR NUMBER 141 READS AS FOLLOWS:
The teachers held the protest for fulfilment of various demands, including regularisation of contractual staff, starting pension for teacher under Sarav Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and to oppose the change in transfer policy which states that teacher posted on station for more than seven years would get transfer.