Punjab police resort to lathi-charge, teargas, and water cannons to disperse protesting MGNREGA workers

3 min readLudhianaJul 16, 2026 10:50 AM IST

As protesters attempted to move past them, police resorted to lathi-charge, fired tear gas shells and used water cannons to disperse the crowd. (AI-generated image/Gemni)

A protest by MGNREGA employees demanding regularisation of their services and release of eight months’ pending salaries turned violent in Khanna on Wednesday when police used lathi-charge, tear gas and water cannons to stop demonstrators marching towards the residence of Punjab Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond.

According to protesters, 10 of them suffered injuries in the police action and were admitted to the Khanna Civil Hospital and private hospitals. Police officers, including Khanna DSP Vinod Kumar, also sustained injuries during the clash.

The employees, who had gathered at Prem Bhandari Park in the morning, marched towards the minister’s residence on Amloh Road to submit a memorandum seeking the regularisation of over 2,000 contractual MGNREGA staff by merging them into the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats and the release of salaries pending for the last eight months.

Police had erected barricades near the minister’s residence. As protesters attempted to move past them, police resorted to lathi-charge, fired tear gas shells and used water cannons to disperse the crowd.

Police said force was used after protesters tried to breach the barricades and advance towards the minister’s residence. Additional personnel were deployed and the situation was later brought under control.

The Pendu Mazdoor Union, which extended support to the protest, condemned the police action. State president Tarsem Peter alleged that protesters were peacefully proceeding to submit their memorandum when they were stopped and assaulted. He claimed several women protesters were injured and alleged that police manhandled them during the clash.

The union said Fatehgarh Sahib resident Sudagar Singh suffered fractures in both legs and was referred to a hospital in Mohali due to the seriousness of his injuries. Tarsem Peter demanded that the Punjab government provide free medical treatment and compensation to all injured workers.

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In a separate incident after the protest, a canter carrying MGNREGA workers back to their villages overturned following a head-on collision with another vehicle near Bija village. One worker, identified as Sukhdev Singh, was killed, while several others were injured and admitted to nearby hospitals.

The police action triggered sharp political reactions.

Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring condemned the use of force against the protesting workers, alleging that the Bhagwant Mann government had “turned Punjab into a police state”. He said the MGNREGA workers were holding a peaceful ‘dharna’ and chanting ‘Satnam Wahe Guru’ (Sikh religious chant), yet the police resorted to “brutality”. He questioned the use of water cannons, teargas shells, and lathi-charge against protesting MGNREGA workers. “Is this how a common man’s government deals with its people?” Warring demanded suspension of police and administrative officers who resorted to “unprovoked” lathi-charge on MGNREGA workers.

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal also criticised the crackdown, alleging that contractual employees seeking their legitimate dues were met with “lathis, water cannons and tear gas”.

“These contractual employees and labourers were only demanding their rightful pending wages…This is not governance, this is pure dictatorship and ‘Danda Tantra’! You cannot silence the voice of the people with brute force,” he said.

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Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said the government should immediately clear pending MGNREGA dues and address the workers’ grievances through dialogue instead of force.