Punjab Police Lathi Charge Apprentice Linemen Protesting Jobs in Patiala; 20 Injured Amid Violent Clash

A protest by apprentice linemen demanding job regularisation turned violent on June 5 outside the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited office in Patiala, where police conducted a baton charge that left at least 20 protesters injured and requiring hospitalisation.

The protest was organised by members of the 2600 Apprenticeship Lineman Union, who had completed six to twelve months of technical training. The demonstrators were demanding regularisation of their services, priority hiring based on their hands-on experience, and exemption from a newly introduced competitive examination for Assistant Lineman posts under the April 2026 recruitment guidelines.

According to details from the protest site, tensions escalated outside the PSPCL office when the gathering intensified its agitation over delayed recruitment decisions. Law enforcement authorities responded with a baton charge to disperse the crowd, resulting in multiple injuries among the protesting workers, who were subsequently taken to hospital for treatment.

पंजाब में अपना हक़ माँग रहे GenZ students को केजरीवाल जी और भगवंत मान की सरकार बेरहमी से लाठी डंडे मार रही है और सड़कों पर घसीट रही है।

ये लोग अपनी नौकरी के लिए शांतिपूर्वक प्रदर्शन कर रहे थे। इस प्रकार से बच्चों को मारना पीटना केजरीवाल-भगवंत मान जी का असली चेहरा उजागर करती है।… pic.twitter.com/c1HcrutkxR

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— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) June 5, 2026

The incident has triggered strong political reactions. Leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Indian National Congress, and other political groups condemned the use of force by the police, accusing the ruling administration of failing to deliver on employment commitments. Critics highlighted growing dissatisfaction among unemployed youth and alleged broken promises by the government ahead of the 2027 state elections.

Despite the confrontation, the protesting apprentice linemen have stated their intention to continue pressing their demands for fair recruitment policies and recognition of their training experience.

The incident underscores rising tensions between job-seeking youth and administrative authorities over employment policies in Punjab, particularly within the power sector, as recruitment reforms continue to face resistance on the ground.