Nursing job aspirants clash with cops in Bengal during agitation seeking appointments

Clashes broke outside the health department headquarters in Salt Lake near here on Tuesday, after around 500 nursing job aspirants, claiming that they have not been given appointments despite clearing the interview, tried to break a police cordon during the course of their protest.

Some of the agitators were arrested during their scuffle with police personnel, an officer said.

The police officer also said with RAF has been deployed in the area in the wake of the protest.

Asked if anyone suffered injuries during the scuffle, he said that two police personnel fell down while trying to stop the protesters from moving forward, but they are back in action. The agitators, most of them women, alleged that irregularities were committed by authorities of West Bengal Health Recruitment Board in granting appointments, leaving over 4,000 eligible candidates jobless.

A health department official said that discussions have been held with the representatives of those agitating outside Swasthya Bhavan, and they have been given explanation about the recruitment procedure ''which is completely transparent''.

Tapati Panja, one of the agitators said, however, said, "We will not leave the spot until there is a written assurance from the government on appointments." Panja also said that they were camping in small groups at Karunamoyee, which is a at short distance from the health department headquarters. On Monday, too, the protesters had engaged in a brawl with the police outside Swasthya Bhavan.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)