At least 12 private college teachers and five police personnel were injured as both sides clashed when agitating lecturers were taking out a torch rally towards the Orissa Chief Minister's residence in Bhubaneswar on Monday..
Police said the teachers of 630 private colleges demanding grant-in-aid proceeded towards Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's residence instead of proceeding to Raj Bhavan, which they were supposed to do as per the permission.
As the agitators, carrying torches, suddenly changed their route, police tried to stop them in Bapuji Nagar and a scuffle ensued as the teachers tried to break the barricade to move towards Patnaik's residence.
Though teachers claimed that police resorted to lathicharge to prevent them from proceeding, Deputy Commissioner of Police Amitabh Thakur denied the claim and said only mild force was used to stop the agitators, who had deviated from the permitted route.
About 12 teachers were injured in police action and taken to the capital hospital, police said adding five of them were admitted to the hospital while the rest were discharged after treatment.
Five police personnsl including the DCP suffered injuries as the agitators threw burning torches at them, police said.
Teachers' Union leader Golak Nayak said they had been working for the last 18 years without salary as their colleges were not given grants-in-aid by government.
Five police personnsl including the DCP suffered injuries as the agitators threw burning torches at them, police said.
Teachers' Union leader Golak Nayak said they had been working for the last 18 years without salary as their colleges were not given grants-in-aid by government.