PSPCL ex-worker succumbs to burns, family places body on road in protest

Two AAP activists, powercom SDO among seven persons booked

Our Correspondent

Abohar, Updated At : 07:23 AM Oct 07, 2024 IST

Hundreds of vehicles were stranded near the Alamgarh bypass after the family and relatives of victim Sada Lal Chalana placed the body on the highway on Sunday; and (inset) the victim.

Sada Lal Chalana, a resident of Rukanpura Khuikhera village, who set himself on fire due to alleged threats from some people, died during treatment in Faridkot last night. His body was brought to Abohar today afternoon. The family members and relatives of the victim protested by keeping the body near the Alamgarh bypass on the Abohar-Sriganganagar highway, demanding the arrest of the suspects named in the FIR.

As soon as the body was brought here from Faridkot around 4 pm, the family members placed the body at the Alamgarh Chowk. Apart from the deceased’s brother Om Prakash, his daughters and a son and sisters, and a large number of people from the village were present.

Due to the dharna the movement of vehicles came to halt from all three sides. The Killianwali Road is already closed due to the ongoing construction of a rail overbridge. Even two-wheelers were not allowed to pass during the protest.

Om Prakash said that after registeration of the case the accused managed to flee due to the alleged negligence of the police. He said that their protest would continue until they were arrested.

DSP Sukhwinder Singh said that more sections of the BNS would be added to the FIR after the death of the victim. He said that raids to nab the culprits were on but all suspects were absconding from their homes.

A case has been registered against AAP traders’ wing district vice-president Pankaj Narula and another AAP activist Arvinder Singh Shera, PSPCL SDO Baldev Singh, Rukanpura Khuikhera residents Kabul Singh, Karaj Singh, Kulbir Singh and Gurwinder Singh.

The victim family said he used to work on contract in the PSPCL and had left the job some time ago, and was now running a grocery shop in the village. His brother said the suspects beat the victim near a canal on some pretext a few days back, and AAP leaders and the PSPCL official tried to falsely implicate him on charges of tampering with electricity meters. In return, they allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 8 lakh from him.

His brother said that feeling insulted, Chalana felt deeply hurt and decided to end life.