Thaindian News

Srinagar, May 26 (IANS) Around 100 Jammu and Kashmir government employees, staging protest demonstrations and raising various demands, were arrested here Saturday as their strike continued for the third day.

“They have been taken into preventive custody as section 144 of the CrPC (Criminal Procedure Code) is in force in the city which bars an assembly of five or more persons,” a police officer said.

There was heavy deployments of police force in and around the Press Enclave to scuttle a proposed protest march by the employees to Raj Bhavan.

The employees are on a three-day strike to press for their demands which include enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60, regular employment to daily wagers and ad hoc/contractual appointees and removal of anomalies in the pay structures.

The employees planned to take out a protest march from the Press Enclave to Raj Bhavan Saturday.

However, most of the employees’ union leaders have been taken into custody.

Due to the strike, work in government offices and schools across the Kashmir Valley remained paralysed for the third consecutive day with employees and teachers staying away from work.

Employees running essential services such as hospitals, and supplies of electricity and drinking water have been exempted from the strike.

Work in the civil secretariat, however, was normal since the secretariat employees’ union did not take part in the strike.

The government has been calling the employees for negotiations.