Over two dozen injured
Shimla: Over two dozen people including at least five police personnel were injured outside the state secretariat when a protest blockade by PTA teachers turned violent here on Monday and the police resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the protesters.
RM Sharma, SP said, “18 men have been held and booked under non-bailable offences and 38 women who were arrested have been bailed out.”
Police personnel including officers have been injured in the incident. Some of the protesting teachers have also been injured,” said Sharma.
Monhinder Singh, additional superintendent police and Madan Lal, DSP were among those injured.
About 1500 PTA teachers who assembled outside the state secretariat at about noon, resorted to blockading traffic for over four hours.
The teachers led by president Vivek Mehta and Shishupal Gazta were demanding withdrawal of an inquiry against PTA appointments. The duo claimed that hundreds of PTA teachers had been sacked under the pretext of findings of the inquiry instituted by the government.
With the government choosing to ignore the protest, the agitators turned aggressive on learning that the chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had left office.
Push turned to shove and the protesters resorted to stone throwing to match the force applied by the police.
More than two dozen teachers have been injured, claimed Rattan, a PTA teacher who had come from Sirmaur to participate in the agitation.
The government is victimizing against us on political considerations. We have been forced to agitate because the government has gone back on its word, he said.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads the team of media professionals at Hill Post.
In a career spanning over two decades through all formats of journalism in Electronic, Print and Online Media, he brings with him enough experience to steer this platform. He lives in Shimla.
