At least 12 Elementary Trained Teachers (ETTs), including two women, and five cops were injured after police allegedly resorted to cane charge at them while their protest turned violent in the city.
Five policemen were injured during the protest of the teachers, working under the Zila Parishad being governed by Punjab Rural Development Panchayats Department and demanding that they should be appointed directly under the Punjab Education Department.
However, police said it used force as the protesters became violent during their protest in the city.
The protesters were demanding that they should be appointed directly under the Punjab Education Department from Zila Parishad forthwith due to job security reasons.
The situation turned volatile, when a group of protesting teachers headed towards the residence of Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majithia after breaking the barricades, police said.
Amritsar Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Parmpal Singh said the agitating teachers forced police for lathi charge as they took the law and order in their hands while attacking at police.
He said one agitating teacher attacked one police personnel with sharp edged weapon and left him seriously injured.
"Before the situation took worst turn, police contingents were issued orders for lathi charge to stop the violent teachers to continue their march towards the Cabinet Minister Bikram Majithia's residence," he said.
Maintaining that the lathi charge was "genuine and need of the hour", the ADCP said "the agitating teachers have gone violent, first they damaged the barricades then seriously injured police official with sharp edged weapon, thereafter police were given orders for lathi charge to maintain law and order situation, since it was thickly populated area".
