Lathicharge and tear gas shells were fired on Para teachers who had come out to surround the Chief Minister's residence

Ranchi, July 20 (HS). Police fired tear gas shells and lathicharged the para teachers who had come from different parts of the state to gherao the Chief Minister's residence demanding equal education and equal pay. Six para teachers were injured in this action.

Under the banner of State Integrated Para Teachers Union, Para teachers from across the state came out to surround the Chief Minister's residence on Saturday demanding equal education and equal pay. Thousands of Para teachers started from Morabadi Ground and proceeded towards the Chief Minister's residence via the Football Stadium, while some teachers were stopped near Morabadi Ground by putting up barricades. During this, some Para teachers reached outside the Chief Minister's residence, on whom the police lathi-charged and fired tear gas shells. Six Para teachers including Sintu Singh were injured in this lathi-charge.

Earlier, some Para teachers had come out from Morhabadi and sat near Oxygen Park. Everyone was constantly requesting the administration to let the Para teachers who were left behind move forward. Para teachers leader Sanjay Dubey, who was present on the spot, said that this is an indefinite protest. The protesting teachers said that they have been teaching in rural areas for 20 years but a double policy is being adopted with Para teachers. The government was asked several times for a hike in the salary scale but the government ignored their demands.

In view of the agitation of Para teachers, a large number of police forces have been deployed outside the Chief Minister's residence. Fire fighting vehicles are also present at the protest site to stop the protesters. Barricading has been done at three places.

The main demands of the para teachers include giving pay scale and EPF to assistant teachers, giving jobs to dependents of teachers who died after the implementation of the service condition rules, conducting assessment exams soon, giving training opportunities to untrained teachers and recognizing CTET in teacher recruitment.