Over dozen Govt employees injured in police lathi-charge in Jammu

Jammu, Jan 30 (UNI) Over a dozen people were injured in police lathi-charge when a large procession under the J&K Employees' Joint Action Committee (EJAC) attempted to reach the prohibited Civil Secretariat here today.

In a bid to control the situation at Shalamar Chowk outside the Secretariat, police took into custody four leaders of the EJAC, who were released later.

''Hundreds of us were brutally beaten up by the police at Shalimar Chowk when we tried to move towards Secretariat as government has failed to implement the agreement reached with EJAC leadership,'' president A Q Wani told UNI.

The procession, which started from Eid Gah in the old city, dispersed after the police action at Shalamar Chowk.

According to SDPO (City) Swatantra Arora the police were forced to cane-charge after the protesters tried to breach the security order under the Section 144 implemented outside the Secretariat premises.

On the arrest of the EJAC leaders, the SDPO said they had been taken for negotiation with the government.

UNI VJ JT AS1722