11 injured in police lathicharge in Bihar

Eleven students were injured in the Bihar state capital when over 100 students clashed with police personnel outside the house of a Bihar minister.

At least eleven students were on Tuesday injured in the Bihar state capital when over 100 students clashed with police personnel outside the house of a Bihar minister.

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Trouble began when over 100 students beloging to Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthy Parishad, NSUI and AISFA assembled outside the bungalow of the HRD minister, HN Singh, and started shouting anti-government slogans.

They were protesting against the alleged "indifference" of the NDA government towards ending the ongoing strike in colleges and universities.

The agitators soon turned violent and started pelting stones and brickbats targeting the policemen and the minister's bodyguards, the police said.

When the situation went beyond control, the police lathicharged the students to disperse them, the police claimed.

Of the 11 students, two were sent to Patna Medical College and Hospital where their condition was stated to be serious. The rest were administered first aid at the Rajendra Nagar Government hospital, hospital sources said.

Twenty five students were taken into custody in connection with the incident.

The agitating students are demanding immediate settlement of the demands of the non-teaching staff for resumption of normal activities in colleges and universities.

The non-teaching employees of colleges and universities under the banner of Bihar State University and College Employees Federation are on an indefinite strike since July 1 last to press for the implementation of the July 2007 agreement with the state government about increase in increments, dearness allownce and a salary hike.