Patiala, June 7 -- A day after a police lathicharge on protesting apprentice linemen outside the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) headquarters left over 20 people injured, Patiala police on Saturday justified its action, claiming the protesters had blocked the entry and exit gates of the power utility's office complex, preventing hundreds of employees from leaving the premises.

The police action triggered a political storm, with opposition parties, employee unions and social organisations condemning the use of force and demanding accountability from the officials involved.

Following the incident, Patiala police registered a first information report (FIR) against the protesters under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya ...