Jammu and Kashmir goverment employees' attempt to gherao civil secretariat foiled

SRINAGAR: At least 12 protesters were today detained here as police prevented hundreds of contractual, casual and daily wage employees of state government from marching towards the civil secretariat, which houses the office of the Chief Minister.

Hundreds of employees assembled near Khalsa School at Magarmal Bagh here on the call of Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) president Qayoom Wani to gherao the civil secretariat to press for their demands, officials said.

According to the officials, employees, led by Wani, tried to march towards the secretariat but were stopped by the police near Exhibition Crossing.

Dozens of protesting employees, including Wani, were detained.

Police used water canons and resorted to baton charge to disperse them, the officials said.

The employees were demanding the regularization of daily wagers, casual labourers, seasonal and temporary workers who have been working in many government departments for the past many years as well as release of pending salaries.