About 2 dozen injured, more than 130 arrested in Kashmir

Srinagar, Mar 8 (UNI) About two dozen Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) employees and their families were injured when police fired tear gas shells and resorted to baton charge to disperse them on Moulana Azad road this afternoon.

About 60 striking employees, besides 70 members of the State Government Employees Joint Action Committee (JAC) were also arrested by the police.

The SRTC employees were on indefinite strike for the past few weeks in support of their 13-point demands.

The employees, who had struck work despite threat by the government declaring their strike unlawful, assembled in the SRTC headquarters along with their family members, including women and children today.

Raising slogans against Transport Minister Hakeem Yaseen, SRTC management and government, the employees alleged that the authorities had failed to implement their promises from time to time.

As the employees tried to march towards the busy Moulana Azad road, police resorted to baton charge. Later, the police fired tear gas shells to disperse the employees and their family members.

A UNI correspondent, who was on the spot saw about two dozen employees and their family members wounded in police action.

The police also detained more than 60 employees and their family members.

The STRC union leaders claimed that hundreds of their workers were so far arrested by the police from different parts of the valley.

The employees, joined by their family members, including children were demonstrating against the government almost everyday for the past few weeks.

Children of the employees set on fire their uniform and books early this week saying that there were not being allowed to sit in the classes as they have no fees to deposit in school.

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