Kapurthala: Girl sets herself on fire

Kapurthala: Girl sets herself on fire

Press Trust of India, Monday February 8, 2010, Kapurthala

A 20-year-old girl seeking the government's permission to re-appear in an examination, set herself on fire on Sunday after being prevented by authorities from demonstrating before the residence of the concerned minister in support of her demand.

Kiranjit Kaur climbed atop a water tank in the premises of the civil hospital, poured petrol over herself and set herself ablaze, police sources said.

She has been hospitalised with 90 per cent burns, they said.

The girl and other Education Guarantee Scheme volunteers were demanding issuance of a notification by the state government allowing them to re-appear in 10+2 examination for improving their percentage of marks as required for getting admission in Elementary Teachers Training course.



*India Tv video differs. kuri ne pehla shawl railing te rakh ti, utte adhi bottle tel chidkea te shawl nu agg laati te aap side te ho gai. agg ne zor faddea te zameen to hundi hoi kudi de hath faddi bottle wal vadh gai kuj seconds ch hi oh agg di chapet ch aa gai*

India TV guys might be right...

tsxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It's an accident and a big mistake on part of protestors.

Badal and his Akali brigade sucks big time

In Faridkot, govt `accepts all demands' - Teacher succumbs to burns, protest follows

APPEASEMENT Govt announces Rs 5-lakh relief; notification for second chance at 10+2 for EGS teachers


Kiranjit Kaur, the teacher from Faridkot who sustained 90 per cent burns in a self-immolation attempt here on Sunday, succumbed to her injuries at a hospital in Ludhiana on Monday.

The state government announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh for the Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS) teacher's family, who took the body to Faridkot for the last rites.

As news of the death spread, EGS teachers from across Punjab thronged the city to join a protest demonstration, during which the effigy of Education Minister Upinderjit Kaur was burnt and a march taken out through the main bazaars of the town.

The protesters demanded direct admission to the Elementary Teachers Training course, suspension of City DSP Bahadur Singh for his alleged "misbehaviour" with teachers during the Sunday protest, a compensation of Rs 20 lakh for Kiranjit's kin, besides a government job for a member of the family.

Former Congress MP Rana Gurjit Singh led a party workers' protest march after gathering at the local Civil Hospital -- where the self-immolation had taken place on Sunday -- and met Deputy Commissioner Raj Kamal Chaudhary. He too demanded suspension of the DSP, besides the resignation of Upinderjit Kaur.

On the other hand, local SAD-BJP leaders, at a press conference, demanded a criminal case against Rana Gurjit, alleging that after the immolation bid atop a water tank, he had instigated other teachers on top not to climb down.

They alleged he had accompanied EGS union leader Ram Singh up the tank on the pretext of negotiations, but instead gave him instructions not to climb down.

The other teachers who had climbed the water tank on Sunday evening came down at 4 am on Monday morning after appeals from Jalandhar Divisional Commissioner S.R. Ladhar and DIG Ishwar Singh.

Ladhar told HT the government had agreed to issue a notification on Monday to enable the EGS teachers to reappear in the 10+2 exam so that they could improve their score to qualify for the ETT course. He said their demand for considering over-aged teachers for the course would also be taken up.

The commissioner marked a magisterial inquiry into the incident to Dasuya SDM Mohammad Tayyab. The report is to be submitted in 21 days.

The deputy commissioner confirmed the government had issued the notification on Monday, giving a special opportunity to the teachers to improve their 10+2 scores in March.

Bholath Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira demanded the transfer of the deputy commissioner and the SSP Kapurthala for their "callous and insensitive" handling of the Sunday agitation. He demanded Rs 10-lakh relief for Kiranjit's family, and criminal cases against the "erring police officers".

hmmm..