Patna police on Tuesday resorted to lathicharge to disperse a mob of unruly qualified Bihar Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET) and Central Teachers’ Eligibility Test (CTET) aspirants holding protests against the state government demanding recruitment.
According to the police, they blocked the main roads which led to a massive jam from Dakbunglaw to Bailey road and many vehicles, including school buses, cars and ambulances got stuck for several hours, police said.
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In the videos, which have gone viral on social media platforms, hundreds of police personnel can be seen chasing the protestors and beating them with sticks and batons. Many were also reportedly detained for allegedly creating ruckus.
Police said that under the banner of various organisations, protestors blocked the Dakbungalow crossing and were also planning to “gherao Bihar assembly.”
Upset over no notice being issued for the restoration of the seventh phase of recruitment by the state, the protestors also raised slogans against the government.
Kotwali police station Station house officer (SHO) Sanjit Kumar said the police chased agitating aspirants as they had blocked Dakbunglow for hours and disrupted traffic movement. “It led to massive traffic jams for hours,” he said.
He said that police personnel tried to pacify the angry agitators but they were not ready to listen. “Police finally charged the aspirants and cleared the road. However, no one has been reported injured in the incident.” Further, the police have arrested six to seven people involved, he said.
Pushpa Kumar, a qualified BTET and CTET aspirant alleged that the government had just given assurance and nothing else. “We are waiting for the phase seven recruitment for the last three years but nothing has happened. We are holding a peaceful demonstration for the last 38 days at Gardanibagh. We are just demanding recruitment,” she added.
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Chief minister Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar had promised 20 lakh jobs to the unemployed youths and the seventh phase of recruitment was awaited.
According to the police, when the police team reached there to pacify the angry students, they started shouting anti-government slogans and became furious. Finding the situation going out of control, police resorted to lathicharge and they caned everyone who came in their way. Some policemen and aspirants also faced minor injuries in the incident.
Earlier too, they created ruckus at the time when chief minister Nitish Kumar was addressing a rally in Kurhani ahead of the bypolls, said police.
The CTET is a pan-India exam that qualifies the candidate for the competitive exams for the post of teaching in government schools.
In January this year, thousands of students took to the streets to protest against the alleged irregularities in Railway Recruitment Board’s exam and clashed with police, leading to a huge ruckus.
Agitating students blocked rail tracks, pelted stones and even set a passenger train on fire in Arah district of Bihar. Police carried out baton-charge and fired shots in the air to disperse the protesters.
