Home Guards go on indefinite strike in Bihar

Over 70,000 Home Guard personnel in Bihar began an indefinite strike on Friday to press the state government into meeting their demands which include a pay hike and insurance cover.

The home guards are demanding increase in pay, accidental coverage during duty and post-retirement benefits from the Bihar government.

Bihar Homeguards Volunteers Association president Arun Kumar Thakur said they will not end their stir until the government fulfills their demands.

"Hundreds of homeguard jawans have started depositing their rifles and cartridges to the Police Lines of their respective districts where they are posted since Friday morning to join the strike," an official in the police headquarters here said.

The home guard personnel have been petitioning the state government for the last few years to fulfill their demands.

"We have submitted a memorandum to the state government regarding our demands but till date there has been no response... this has forced us to go for the strike," Thakur said.

According to state home department officials, the Home Guard personnel are deployed for traffic regulation, in banks, jail and police stations and at residences.

Their strike is likely to make difficult the task of the state police to maintain law and order.

Thakur also said that the home guard personnel will sit on hunger strike. On May 20, the association will resort to 'chakka jam' and later a 'jail bharo andolan'.