Contract lecturers resort to road blockade; held

Chennai, Dec 22: Police have arrested 77 contract lecturers, including 44 women, working in various government arts colleges in Tamil Nadu, for defying prohibitory orders and resorting to road blockade in the busy College Road area in the city.

Police said the lecturers staged a demonstration the Directorate of Collegiate Education Office here yesterday demanding, among other things, regularisation of their jobs.

As per the instruction of the Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister Ponmudi, Higher Education Secretary Ganesan tried to persuade them with an assurance that the government would give some bonus marks in the forthcoming recruitment examination by the Teachers Recruitment Board.

Ignoring the assurance they resorted to road blockade, leading to their arrest late last night.

Police said the lecturers were first taken into custody on Wednesday when they attempted to picket the Directorate of Collegiate Education Office.

However, when the police wanted to release them instantly, they refused to go. They were rearrested and remanded to judicial custody. There was a minor scuffle between the police and the picketers.

They stayed in front of the Marriage Hall where the police accommodated them. Later, they were taken into custody.

Later, they were remanded to judicial custody. While the men were lodged in the newly opened Central Prison at Puzhal, the women were lodged in the Central Prison, Vellore, police added.

UNI