'Shiksha Mitras' demanding salary release cane-charged in Lucknow

More than two dozen persons were injured on Tuesday when police cane-charged "Shiksha Mitras" who were on their way to gherao the Vidhan Sabha building here.

Thousands of protesters from 26 districts had gathered in the state capital demanding the release of their salaries, which they pointed out had not been given for over three years now.

"We thought today (Tuesday) is Teachers Day and the state government will understand our problems and listen to those compassionately, but instead we have been beaten black and blue," said a teary-eyed woman, who was injured in the cane- charge.

Many young men were beaten mercilessly when they tried to take refuge in some shops and offices as police chased them.

The umbrella group of Shiksha Mitras, which led the protest, said they did not expect the state government to be so "brutal" with them and threatened a statewide agitation very soon to "teach the state's BJP government a lesson".

--IANS

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