ROHTAK: A guest teacher was killed and scores of persons, including Rohtak deputy commissioner R.S. Doon, SSP Alok Mittal, protesting guest teachers, police officials and passersby, were injured as a state-level protest demonstration by guest teachers organised on Monday turned violent.

The trouble began when thousands of guest teachers marching towards the local residence/camp office of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda were stopped by the police and administrative officials. While the protesters demanded that they would submit a charter of their demands to the CM or his MP son Deepender Singh Hooda, the district officials insisted that the memorandum be submitted to some representative of the CM or MP.

Following this, the protesting teachers staged a dharna on the Sonepat road demanding that the CM or MP, who were in the town today, come there and collect their memorandum.

However, when neither the CM nor the MP reached there for a long time, the protesters started moving towards the CM’s camp office/local residence. When the police officials deputed there tried to stop them, the protesters pelted them with stones. The police then resorted to use of force, including lathicharge, teargas shells and water canons.

The police personnel also fired several shots in the air to control the protesters. Meanwhile, somebody from the crowd also opened fire at the policemen and administrative officials present there. A woman guest teacher, identified as Raj Rani, was hit by a bullet and died.

The deputy commissioner and several policemen present there also received bullet injuries, while the SSP and many other cops were hurt in stone pelting.

In all, nearly 70 guest teachers, 30 policemen and some passersby were injured in the clash. The attendants of the guest teachers were also beaten up at the PGIMS, where they had taken the injured for treatment.

Later, addressing a press conference, the DC and SSP Alok Mittal asserted that some anti-social elements present among the protesters had opened fire, due to which the police action was necessitated.

They claimed that the guest teacher, Raj Rani of Jind district, had not died in police firing. The DC also ordered a magisterial probe into the matter, which will be conducted by Rohtak  ADC P.C. Meena.

On the other hand, Arun Malik, president of the Haryana Atithi Adhyapak Sangh, has condemned “brutal” police action on the democratically protesting guest teachers. He said their protest would continue.

Meanwhile, a team of forensic experts visited the scene of crime and began investigations. Another team of ballistic experts from Madhuban is also expected for inspection. A case under various sections of the IPC has been registered in this regard and at least 30 persons have been rounded up by the police.