10 injured in police action in Jammu

Ten employees of Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC), who were in a rally demanding implementation of sixth pay panel, were injured today when police resorted to lathicharge and tear gas to disperse them.

The incident happened at Shalimar road area in the city when about 900 protesting SRTC employees were marching towards the civil secretariat to gherao it and press for their demands, officials said.

Police persuaded the agitators to disperse as prohibitory orders were imposed around the civil secretariat area, however, the protesters refused to do so, following which police resorted to mild lathicharge and lobbed rounds of tear gas shells, they said.

Ten persons sustained injuries in the police action. The injured were rushed to Government Medical College Hospital, officials said, adding that 35 other SRTC employees were taken into custody and lodged at Pacca Danga police station.

The demonstrators later entered the office premises of SRTC General Manager and raised slogans in support of their demands which include release of their sixth months' wage and implementation of sixth pay commission.

Chief minister Omar Abdullah had recently said the government was ready to pay the employees six months' salary, but SRTC workers are not entitle for benefits under sixth pay panel as the corporation is running in loss.

According to SRTC management, the corporation was losing a revenue to the tune of over Rs25 lakh per day.