Asst cops lift 37-day protest after govt’s written assurance to consider demands

Ranchi: Hundreds of assistant police personnel belonging to 12 districts on Wednesday formally withdrew their 37-day-old agitation after the government handed over a written assurance stating that it would consider their eight-point demands and take a decision within two months.
The assistant policemen were staging a protest at Morhabadi ground in Ranchi from September 27 seeking regularisation of service, leave, increase in honorarium, compensation in case of accident during duty, uniform allowance, reservation in various police recruitments, travelling and dearness allowance in case of posting outside the district, payment of honorarium during period of their agitation and withdrawal of cases registered against them during the agitation.
The letter signed by additional chief secretary home A Dode and the inspector general human rights, Akhilesh Jha, stated, “A competent authority would consider the issues seriously and take a proper decision.”
Congress MLA Bandhu Tirkey handed over the letter to the representatives of assistant policemen on Wednesday and requested them to withdraw the protest. Tirkey assured them that he would lead the agitation for the assistant police if the government fails to fulfill its promise.
One of the protestors, Amit Kumar Mishra, said, “After several hours of discussion on Tuesday evening, we arrived at a decision to withdraw the agitation. The formal announcement regarding it was done today. We are all going back to our respective districts.”
The assistant police personnel were appointed on contract in the extremist-affected districts namely Giridih, Chatra, Dumka, West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum, Gumla, Simdega, Latehar, Khunti, Palmau, Lohardaga and Garwah in 2017.