COVID-19: Over 700 ad hoc teachers arrested for violating Sec 144

Agartala: Taking into account the imposition of Section 144 of the CrPC over prevention of coronavirus in Tripura, the police dispersed over 700 teachers from the RMS Chowmuhani area of Agartala where they have been protesting for the last two days with prior permission from the authorities concerned.

Upset over the move of the police dispersing the demonstration called by the All Tripura Govt 10,323 Ad-Hoc Pay Teachers’ Employees Organisation, the angry teachers gheraoed the West Agartala police station for hours until they were taken into custody.

Speaking with reporters, the president of the organisation, Bimal Saha, said that they have been on a peaceful protest since March 14 with a five-point charter of demands.

“Today, it was the fourth day, and the police all of a sudden entered and arrested some of our teachers forcefully to vacate the place in the morning,” Saha said.

He also questioned the intention of the government behind imposition of Section 144 in the name of coronavirus.

Later, the angry teachers protesting in front of the West Agartala police station demanded the resignation of health and home minister immediately for failing to control the situation.

Demanding the immediate release of the teachers arrested in the morning, Bimal Saha said that the leaders of the organisation have now threatened to start a civil disobedience movement.

Another teacher said that they had the initial permission for the sit-in demonstration for 48 hours. On Monday, an application for further extension of the demonstration was submitted in front of the authorities.

“Application demanding extension of the protest was received but no communiqué was made from their end. They vacated the place forcefully by arresting the teachers protesting peacefully,” Saha added.

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Following the incident of lathicharge over the teachers, a number of political leaders including the CPIM delegation and its opposition leader Manik Sarkar met the injured admitted in the IGM hospital.

Speaking with reporters, Sarkar said that they received the information that 10,323 teachers were attacked and were shocked to know that it was the police that first warned them to withdraw their ongoing peaceful protest and later used force to disperse them in the name of Section 144.

He also said that the jobs were given on the basis of poverty and that was our point in the court which the court rejected. We had created 13,000 new posts to save their jobs but against a fresh case quashed the recruitment process, he added.

“We had taken the decision to absorb them but the present government is least interested in taking the initiative. We have been with them and we shall continue supporting them. The incident could have been averted. We want all the jobs to be saved,” Sarkar added.

Speaking with reporters, West Tripura SP Manik Das said that more than 700 teachers were arrested for violating Section 144 which was imposed on Monday.

“The teachers were asked to withdraw their demonstration but no lathicharge was used on them while withdrawing the agitation. They were arrested under Section 151 and later released in the evening,” Das added.