Srinagar, Apr 6: Police on Wednesday used water cannons to disperse the employees protesting against the “government’s failure” to release their pending arrears.
Witnesses said that hundreds of employees took out protest marches from Lal Mandi and Shaheed Gunj this afternoon. As employees were marching towards Divisional Commissioner office they were intercepted by police near Jehangir Chowk and Abiguzar. Police used coloured water cannons to disperse the employees. However, protesters offered stiff resistance and refused to relent following which police arrested nearly 60 employees.
In sub-freezing temperature, the purple colored water was sprayed. In no time, roads, passer byes and employees were dyed in purple color.
Earlier police locked the employees at Agricultural Complex by shutting the main gate. However, they still crossed the barriers and were able to leave the premises. A police spokesman said a total of 36-employees were taken into preventive custody. “All of them will be probably released by evening,” the spokesman said. “There are 22 employees detained at Kothibagh, 5 at Rajbagh, 5 at Shaheed Gunj and 4 at Maisuma police station.”
Pertinently, the Employees Joint Action Committee, Qayoom faction, (EJAC-Q) had asked the employees to assemble at Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department (CAPD) complex and Agricultural complex at Lal Mandi. Later from there they had planned to march peacefully march towards the Divisional Commissioner’s Office with a memorandum detailing out their pending demands.
“Hundreds of policemen were deployed at several places all along the routes,” said the Chief spokesman of EJAC (Q), Farooq Trali. “They had put vehicles and water canons to intercept our peaceful march”.
“We had decided to march peacefully towards Divisional Commissioner’s office. We wanted to remind the government about our unfulfilled and unresolved demands,” he said. “We want our pending arrears, and reject government’s road map to clear our dues. We also want enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60-years and other pending demands to be fulfilled.”
Trali said employees also took out processions in Leh and Jammu.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 6 Apr 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 6 Apr 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 7 Apr 2011 00:00:00 IST