Teachers hold protest , lathicharged; 20 hurt

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, September 16

The police resorted to lathicharge to disperse protesting computer teachers near the Mini-Secretariat in Sector 1 here while they were trying to block the Panchkula-Yamunanagar highway today.

The teachers, protesting under the banner of the Computer Teachers Welfare Association, Haryana, were demanding regular jobs. The police also used water cannons to disperse the protesters. The association claimed that 20 teachers suffered injuries in the incident.

Senior police officials said they had to use mild force as the protesters had blocked the road approaching the Majri chowk. They were trying to march towards the Majri chowk to block the Panchkula-Yamunanagar highway, a senior police official said. The protesters were earlier sitting in front of the Shiksha Sadan in Sector 5 demanding a meeting with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. 

However, they failed to enter Shiksha Sadan. The protesters later marched towards the Mini-Secretariat to meet the Deputy Commissioner.

A statement issued by the association said: “Around 20 protesters, including seven women, suffered injuries. Rather than shifting the injured to the hospital, the police took them to the Chandimandir police station in a bus.”  “The Haryana Government had promised us that it will provide facilities on a par with the regular staff, but nothing has been done,” said Balram Dhiman, president of the association.