Barnala: A tense situation developed near the District Administrative and Court Complex in Barnala on Wednesday morning after three young women climbed an overhead water tank to protest alleged police inaction in their separate sexual exploitation cases. The women, who belong to Scheduled Caste communities, chanted slogans against local law enforcement and demanded the immediate arrest of the men they accused of exploiting them under the pretext of marriage.
The protesters, hailing from Deewana and Gagewal villages in the Mehal Kalan area and Barnala city, claimed they had filed formal complaints with the police months ago but saw no meaningful progress. One protester from Deewana village alleged she was exploited for several years and later blackmailed with video footage by a Ludhiana-based hospital driver. Another woman from Gagewal stated she faced three years of exploitation before discovering her accused partner was already married with children, while the third woman similarly cited official apathy regarding her case.
The demonstration created considerable commotion around the court premises as administrative officials, police personnel, and local residents rushed to the scene to negotiate with the women. While authorities attempted to pacify the situation and persuade the protesters to climb down, formal details regarding First Information Reports (FIRs) and current investigative steps remain pending.
