Srinagar, May 30: Chaotic scenes were witnessed at Jehangir Chowk on Wednesday as police besides arresting many Aanganwadi workers used force to foil their proposed Secretariat siege.
The protesting Aanganwadi workers and helpers who have been persistently protesting in favor of their demands including enhancement in salary and monthly honorarium had called for Secretariat gherao today to protest government’s alleged insensitive approach.
Chanting slogans against the government, hundreds of Aanganwadi workers and helpers this afternoon assembled near Jehangir Chowk and tried to march towards civil secretariat, however poses of police deployed in advance foiled their program by using force.
Police lobbed tear smoke shells and pepper gas besides charging batons to disperse the protesting Anganwadi workers.
More than a dozen protesters including their President Tasleema Subhan were taken into preventive police custody, however no one was injured in police action.
Traffic movement at Jehangir Chowk and Amira Kadal Bridge affected badly for around half an hour.
“We will not rest until our demand of salary hike is not met. Our future course of action will be even intense, workers and helpers from all three regions of Kashmir will be holding secretariat gherao in next few days,” said Tasleema Subhan.
She also criticized the police for allegedly flexing muscles on female protesters saying using force on female is shameful.
“Police personal who are brothers did not felt ashamed to use brute force on us, shame on them. We have decided not to accept any offer from the government and continue our strike till main demands are met,” she added.
