3 ITI diploma holders jumped into river in Kashmir

Srinagar, May 8 (UNI) Three Industrial Training Institute (ITI) diploma holders jumped into river Jhelum and six others were injured after police resorted to baton charge to disperse them near here this afternoon.

Hundreds of ITI trained diploma holders today took to streets in the summer capital in support of their demands.

However, when they were marching towards the civil secretariat, police stopped them near Budshah bridge. When they refused to disperse and insisted that they should be allowed to move forward, police resorted to lathicharge.

Three diploma holders jumped into river Jhelum who were later saved from drowning. They were later taken into custody.

Official sources said about six others were injured in the police action. A number of others were also arrested by the police.

We now want to end our lives since we have no reason to remain alive, the diploma holders said during the demonstrations.

A police official was also injured in the incident.

They alleged that despite repeated assurances by the government, they were not provided jobs.

The diploma holders working on daily wages in the Public Health Engineering (PHE) and other departments were not being paid salaries for the past one year and their services were also not been regularised.

Meanwhile, state secretary of the Communist Party of India (M) Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami strongly condemned the police excesses on protesting ITI crash course diploma holders.

Terming the police action as unfortunate, Mr Targami said while the government was claiming to recruit 70,000 youth in various departments, these ITI diploma holders engaged in various departments on temporary basis have not been paid their wages for last 18 months forcing them to resort to extreme steps.

This amounts to violation of basic human rights.

Mr Tarigami urged upon the government to stop the use of such authoritarian methods against peaceful demonstrations.

UNI BAS YSS SV HS1718