E-Paper
60 hurt during teachers agitation in Orissa
Contract teachers in Orissa demanding regularisation of employment in Orissa injured over 60 people on Saturday in stray violence during a statewide agitation.
Contract teachers in Orissa demanding regularisation of employment in Orissa injured over 60 people on Saturday in stray violence during a statewide agitation.
Official sources said police resorted to a baton charge at Bargarh after agitating teachers pelted stones and ransacked the collectorate building, extensively damaging it.
Police said a woman Sub-inspector was injured in the stone pelting.
Around 26 others, including the local MLA Subala Sahu, were injured as police baton charged the agitators for ransacking the collectorate.
The protestors also damaged some vehicles in the area and went on the rampage, sources said, adding they also blocked traffic on Mumbai-Kolkata NH 6 before the police, who took into custody about 300 persons, dispersed them.
Sporadic violence also broke out in neighbouring Bolangir where police used force and tear gas to disperse agitating teachers, Additional Superintendent of Police Ranjan Behera said, adding around 35 persons, mostly police personnel, sustained injuries.
As many as 27 persons were arrested as the protesters tried to break barricades set up by the police.
The teachers were demanding regularisation of service instead of the existing system of block grants.
Reports of sporadic violence were also received from some other places including Bhawanipatna and Bhadrak, where teachers staged demonstrations in support of their demands.
