Nearly 5,000 Tripura school teachers detained for violating coronavirus restrictions

The agitating teachers were among 10,323 graduate, under graduate and post graduate teachers whose jobs were terminated by the Supreme Court due to faulty recruitment process in 2017.

Amidst restrictions imposed under Section 144 of CrPC in the West district of Tripura as part of precaution against coronavirus, the school teachers, whose jobs would come to an end on March 31, on Thursday agitated in the capital city. They assembled at Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhawan in Agartala and submitted a memorandum to Education director, UK Chakma.

Representational images. (Yogendra Kumar/HT PHOTO)

Police have detained nearly 5,000 agitators.

The agitating teachers were among 10,323 graduate, under graduate and post graduate teachers whose jobs were terminated by the Supreme Court due to faulty recruitment process in 2017. These teachers were re-recruited on ad hoc basis; their tenure is scheduled on March 31 this year. They were appointed in different phases since 2010.

“ Our hunger forced to violate the Section 144 as our jobs will be over by this month. We have given a memorandum to Education Department. We still believe that the government will give us an alternative way,” said Arabinda Sharma, one of the agitators.

Eyeing the spread of coronavirus in different states and as per precaution, the Tripura’s BJP-IPFT government shut down all educational institutions including schools, colleges, universities, gymnasiums, anganwadi centres, hostels from March 17 till March 31. Accordingly, the West district administration also imposed restrictions under Section 144 CrPC during the same period.

Over 700 school teachers , among these 10,323 teachers, were detained on Tuesday for protesting in the midst of restrictions put in place as precaution against coronavirus.