Over 100 injured in police-teacher clash in Tripura

Agartala, Jan 27 : At least 87 teachers and 17 police personnel were injured in a pitched battle on Wednesday with the security forces knocking down the tents in which thousands of Tripura government school teachers, who had lost their jobs following the court’s verdict, have been holding sit-in protest for the past 52 days demanding restoration of their jobs.
Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Arindam Nath told IANS that 223 agitating teachers were arrested as they assembled near the official residence of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb.
West Tripura District Magistrate and Collector Shailesh Kumar Yadav, before the gathering of the teachers near the CM’s residence, had promulgated prohibitory orders 144 Cr Pc in the entire Agartala Municipal Corporation areas banning assembly of five or more people.
“In all 87 teachers and 17 police personnel were injured in today’s (Wednesday) incidents (police lathicharge, use of water cannon and burst of tear gas shells). The agitating teachers also damaged four police cars. Considering the situation, the prohibitory orders were extended for another 48 hours,” Yadav told the media.
Police spokesman Subrata Chakraborty said that two cases were registered against the agitating teachers.
The injured teachers, including many women, were admitted in the Agartala Medical College and Hospital and Indira Gandhi Memorial hospital here.