CHENNAI: With a statewide protest by thousands of government contract nurses across Tamil Nadu ongoing, the agitation of hundreds of nurses protesting at the Government Upgraded Primary Health Centre in Guduvanchery over a slew of demands, including permanent employment, salary hikes and other benefits, entered its sixth day.
The protest at the Guduvanchery health centre has drawn participation not only from nurses in Chengalpattu district but also from neighbouring districts.
The nurses have been staging a continuous sit-in protest within the premises, stating that their agitation is being carried out peacefully without any inconvenience to patients.
On Tuesday morning, around 7 am, when the protesting nurses gathered outside the health centre, police intervened and prevented them from assembling. The police detained them, forcibly lifted them in groups, and took them away in police buses. The arrested nurses were transported and lodged at private marriage halls in Padappai and Kundrathur areas.
Despite the arrests, over 100 nurses continued to stage a sit-in protest inside the Guduvanchery Government Upgraded Primary Health Centre. The nurses said that the police broke up their peaceful protest.
Meanwhile, heavy police deployment has been reported at the Guduvanchery health centre, with more than 200 personnel stationed at the entrance. Police are reportedly detaining nurses who attempt to join the protest and transporting them to private marriage halls.