40 striking UP govt employees arrested

As many as 40 striking Uttar Pradesh government employees have so far been arrested as the indefinite strike by by state workers entered the second day today.

There has been no report of any confrontation in any part of the state or the state capital today and till last night some 40 employees have been arrested, sources in the police said here.

Ram Prakash, who was slapped by the district magistrate of Lucknow during inspection at the Krishi Bhawan yesterday was also said to be among those arrested, but there was no official word on it.

Meanwhile, deputy director (agriculture) at Kanpur Dehat, Vinod Kumar Yadav, said Prakash, a farm supervisor, has been suspended on the charge of being missing from duty without permission.

"We tried to get in touch with him today but he was missing and therefore he has been suspended," Yadav said.

There were also reports of employees staging protests in different parts of the state against the baton charge and Lucknow district magistrate's action against employees raising anti-government slogans.

The leaders of the employees also alleged that police tried to intimidate them and their families.