Death of union leader sparks tension, prohibitory orders in Ambala

AMBALA: A trade union leader today died after being hit by a bus he was trying to stop from plying as part of a two-day nationwide strike called by central trade unions, sparking tension in the district where authorities have imposed prohibitory orders.

55-year-old Narendra Singh, who was squatting along with a group of workers near the local bus depot, died when he was hit by the bus, a senior Roadways official said here.

Ambala Deputy Commissioner Shekhar Vidyarthi said initial official investigations have revealed that the death was a "case of accident".

However, on the demand of the Roadways employees, the incident would be thoroughly investigated and necessary action would be taken, Vidyarthi said.

Section 144 has been imposed in the district and heavy police force deployed at the bus depot and its surrounding areas after the workers pelted stones at a police station and damaged vehicles belonging to Ambala's Deputy Commissioner of Police and a local SHO parked in the bus depot.

Narrating the sequence of events, Vidyarthi said, "Narender Singh was standing outside the workshop, on the other side of the driver's seat.

"As a bus suddenly came out of the gate of the workshop, he ran towards the bus, collided with it and a pillar being behind him, he fell down. He was immediately rushed to the Civil Hospital by the officers where he was declared as dead".

District president, Haryana Roadways Workers Union's, Inder Singh Bhadana demanded that a case to be lodged against the General Manager of the Roadways, failing which union leaders will not allow the body to be cremated.