RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Police on Thursday used water cannon, fired tear-gas shells and resorted to baton charge to take control over a protest of dengue workers demanding immediate notification for the regularization of their jobs.

A number of enraged protestors and police officers sustained injuries during retaliation. Several protestors were not only arrested for attacking the cops and but also for damaging vehicles. The dengue workers had been protesting for almost 10 days.

The police officials said protestors attacked them with bricks and stones when they tried to normalize the situation. When the protestors took to the streets, they said the lady cops were sent to hold negotiations but the protestors refused to accept it and pledged to continue their protest till acceptance of their demands.

Meanwhile, the police department deployed a heavy contingent of police who used water cannon, fired tear-gas shells and resorted to baton charge when the enraged workers attempted to march towards the Punjab Assembly where its session was under way.

Besides men, the police said almost 250 women participated in the protest. The protectors got enraged due to the smoke of the tear-gas shells resulting in serious clashes.

It was also noted that some of the protestors damaged nearby vehicles by breaking their glasses and other items. They also overturned some of the vehicles. According to the protestors, although a summery for their regularisation had been moved to the chief minister’s office for his final nod but it is yet to be approved.

The law enforcers soon after the clashes cordoned off all arteries leading to the venue of the protest. The closure of the roads, however, caused serious traffic problems to the commuters.