Punjab: Unemployed teachers protest near venue of CM's visit, detained

Chandigarh, Nov 27 (PTI) A group of unemployed teachers on Saturday held a protest near the venue where Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi was to address a public gathering in Barnala district, forcing police to detain them.

They also raised slogans against the state's Congress government near the Dana Mandi venue, demanding jobs.

As soon as they started raising slogans, policemen in civil dress stopped them by covering their mouths with their hands.

In the melee, the turban of some of protesters came off.

One of the protesters, Jagjit Singh, accused the state government of not paying heed to their long-pending demand of giving them jobs.

The protesters said they have been demanding from the government to give them employment in the Education Department.

The security personnel took the teachers to a police van and then detained them, said officials.

Another group of unemployed teachers, including women, and contractual employees of the National Health Mission also blocked the Bathinda-Chandigarh highway against the state government over their demands.

The blockade led to a traffic jam, forcing the administration to divert traffic, they said.

A scuffle also broke out between some protesters and policemen as the cops tried to remove them from the road.

Later, police forcibly remove them from the highway. PTI CHS VSD RDK RDK