More than 250 unemployed teachers were arrested by the police in Bathinda district today. A majority of them were arrested in the city while the rest were held at different places when they were on their way to Bathinda to take part in today's state-level "Chakka Jam" (blockade of road) in protest against the holding of Teacher Eligibility Test (TET). The protesting teachers were demanding that the TET be scrapped.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Bathinda, Sukhchain Singh Gill said the police had arrested around 250 protesters as a preventive measure to maintain law and order as the agitators had been blocking the roads.
He said these protesters had been arrested under Sections 107 and 151 of the CrPC.
In view of the “Chakka Jam” agitation today by five unemployed teacher (B.Ed, ETT, PTI, D.P. Ed., Art and Craft) organisations, the district police converted the city into a virtual fortress by deploying a large number of personnel, including women constables, in various parts of the city.
Police personnel were deployed in strength at the Teachers’ Home here to prevent the unemployed teachers from gathering there. However, around 40 teachers reached the Teachers' Home. They were arrested by the police and taken to the police station in vehicles.
Later, at about 2.15 pm, about 150 unemployed teachers converged at Teenkoni chowk and blocked the road there. However, the police, led by DSP Baljit Singh, reached there after some minutes and cleared the road by taking the protesters in custody.
They were taken to the police station in two tempos and a Scorpio. They raised slogans against the government and demanded scrapping of the TET.
After a few minutes, another group of 50 protesters blocked the Bathinda-Goniana road near the Sirhind canal for some time.
The police, led by DSP Jaswinder Singh, also took the protesters in custody there and got the road cleared. They were taken to an undisclosed site in the police vehicle.
State spokesman of the Berojgar B. Ed. Adhyapak Front, Punjab, Harjit Jeeda claimed that the police had arrested more than 500 unemployed teachers in Bathinda district today.
He said besides arresting teachers, the police had also raided their houses last night and taken several of their leaders and activists in custody.
Jeeda said their activists had also blocked the road near the railway level crossing at Rampura Phul.
He said their agitation was successful as they had succeeded in conveying their message to the people and the government.
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