Tripura police on Wednesday arrested 310 protesting teachers in Agartala.
As many as 10,323 teachers, who lost their jobs, have launched an indefinite sit-in since Saturday to demand steps to enable them continue in their government jobs.
They faced termination of services in the wake of Supreme Court and High Court orders that cited “discrepancies in recruitment”.
“We have arrested 310 teachers for unlawful sit-in and demonstration at different places in state capital Agartala. The detained teachers will be released before evening hours after completing formalities,” a police official said.
The official said the state has promulgated Section 144 of the CrPC to prevent mass and public gatherings in view of coronavirus scare.
Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb and education minister Ratan Lal Nath had said that the state government in consultation with the Centre were trying to take appropriate steps in the interest of these teachers.
Opposition Congress and CPI-M have been demanding protection of these teachers’ jobs by making suitable alternative arrangements.
Former chief minister Manik Sarkar said that the state must make alternative arrangements to protect the jobs of these teachers as thousands of their family members, including children, are dependent on them.
Teachers’ leader Bimal Saha said that they had organised many protest demonstrations in the past one year and finally launched an indefinite sit-in since Saturday, lamenting that no government representative had so far come to meet them to discuss the issue.