Green Town’s Bagrian Chowk turned into a battlefield on Sunday when the police resorted to baton charge on the area’s residents who were protesting against the Lahore Electric Supply Company Limited (LESCO) staff’s lethargy and the continuous power outages.
Furthermore, the police personnel resorted to aerial firing on the protesters who refused to cease their protest. Twenty protestors were also arrested by the Police.
According to details, the prolonged and unannounced electricity load shedding in their area for the last six days led to dozens of angry residents coming out to Bagrian Chowk.
This unwarranted action of the police added fuel to the fire and the peaceful demonstrators then responded to police by hurling stones against the latter and blocking the roads.
Meanwhile, police reinforcements were called in and efforts were afoot to control the situation.
The enraged protesters blocked the roads for all sorts of vehicular traffic with burning tires. Even after the arrests, the remaining protesters continued their protest after which the District Coordination Officer (DCO) and Punjab Assembly’s Saba Sadiq reached the spot and held a dialogue with the protesters. The MPA ensured them of the redressal of their grievances and restoration of electricity by 6:00pm on Sunday. After this assurance and the order of the release of the arrested protesters, the mob dispersed from the scene.
