TET protest turns violent, mayhem on the roads

LUCKNOW: Those who witnessed the scene at Burlington crossing on Tuesday noon described it as 15 minutes of mayhem. The local administration and police stood as mute spectators for more than 90 minutes as hundreds of teacher eligibility test (TET) aspirants held city to ransom once again on Tuesday. Individuals who qualified TET in 2011 were upset over delay on their counseling and recruitment process.
The violent protesters blocked Hazratganj to Charbagh railway station road and traffic movement was paralysed completely for an hour. Congestion and traffic snarls gripped Hazratganj, Lalbagh, Qaiserbagh, Lal Kuan, Sadar since noon and lasted till 3pm. After police cane charged protestors, they vandalised properties across Cantt road, damaged more than 20 vehicles and pelted stones. Cops arrested protesting youths, but only after damage was done. More than 15 TETians sustained severe injuries as well.
Authorities had prior information of turnout in thousands, but they did not care to take precautionary measures in advance, giving room to violent youths to run riot in the city.
TETians started assembling at railway station morning onwards. Over the past 10 days under the aegis of TET Sangharsh Morcha (UP), aspirants from different parts of the state were being mobilised for Tuesday's protest. Support was being garnered through active use of Facebook, Whatsapp and text messages for a strong protest.
The khaki-clad had specific inputs of a gathering of at least 4,000 to 5,000 TETians by late Monday. Still, traffic and public order was thrown out of gear, for the second day in a row. On Monday, women wing of BJP had protested opposite Vidhan Bhawan.
Protestors braving 43 degree temperature started marching towards the city from station around 12.15pm and till 12:30pm it was all hell broken loose. The group covered the Charbagh-Hazratganj bound carriageway completely leaving no space for commuters. They first stopped at Rana Pratap crossing and by 1pm collected at Burlington crossing.
The pressure kept building up on streets connecting the primary route (Hazratganj-Charbagh) in the meantime, leading to snail-paced vehicular movement. Cops had put up barricades at Hazratganj crossing to enforce diversions.
Within 15 minutes, thousands of motor vehicles and two-wheelers got stranded around Burlington with no space to negotiate Station Road or Cantt road left. Unable to placate TETians, permission to use force to disperse crowd was issued by senior officials at 2pm. Charging canes, cops chased protestors towards the Qaiserbagh-end from Burlington.
Turning violent, the crowd retaliated by pelting stones. Caught between police and mob battle, innocent Lucknowites struggled to find cover to evade stray stones and lathi blows. Women with children in tow took refuge behind vehicles, building basements, ATM booths, hotels, shops, while male members stood guard to protect them from rowdy elements.
In the melee that lasted 15 minutes, six buses (two private and four city buses) and dozens of private four-wheelers were damaged. Some individuals also sustained injuries due to stone pelting.
Police took control of the situation thereafter and began chasing TETians who assembled in small groups across the road. The cat-and-mouse chase went on till 5pm though vehicular movement on Vidhan Sabha Marg was restored by 3pm.
Naresh and Sunita, a newly wed couple from Kanpur, got stuck in the chaos. "We got off a city bus as mob started smashing window panes. Some youths tried to misbehave and we ran towards Burlington crossing for safety. I was horrified by the incident."
Mohammad Irshad, a private bus driver (UP 32 Z 1977), said "the bus was parked on Cantt road and we could not muster courage to take on rioters." The rear and front windscreens and all window panes of the bus were smashed."
Sampurna Nand Rai, a TETian from Azamgarh who was pulled up by cops said "state government despite orders of the Apex Court has not taken any decision. The deadline will get over in a fortnight but despite regular follow-ups, authorities have not communicated their decision. 72,825 persons qualified the exam in the state and will be rendered unemployed otherwise."
A girl child sitting in an SUV (Mahindra Scorpio) with parents was lucky as a stone missed hitting her narrowly after damaging the window.
32 potential primary and upper primary teachers of the state were booked and arrested by Hussainganj police under serious charges. Four others were detained by Qaiserbagh police. Inspector Satendra Singh, in charge of Hussainganj police station became the complainant and lodged a case under IPC charges 147 (rioting), 353, 332 (relates to use criminal force to deter public servant), 336 (endangering life of others) and 427 (causing damage). Sections under Damage to Public Property Act and Criminal Law Amendment Act were also pressed against the arrested group. Interestingly, key leaders of the morcha managed to slip and could not be nabbed. "Morcha functionaries had assured local administration to gather at Laxman Mela grounds but they did not do so and broke law," said additional superintendent of Lucknow (east) Rajesh Kumar.