The ongoing strike of Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Organisation - Government Employees’ Organisations (JACTTO-GEO) lost its steam on its eighth day on Tuesday with the participation of employees drastically coming down.
In the protests held in Madurai city, a total of 145 people were arrested contrary to the arrest of more than 2,000 people on Monday. Majority of the school teachers, who participated in large numbers in the strike, returned to work.
Officials in the School Education Department said that more than 90 % of the teachers reported back to work. “None of the schools remained closed in the district on Tuesday. The status as on afternoon was 90 %. Many reported to work in the evening as well, which we are yet to count,” the official said in the evening.
Though office bearers of JACTTO-GEO had announced demonstrations in Melur, Tirumangalam and Usilampatti as well, police officials said that no demonstrations happened in these places on Tuesday.
The reason was partially attributed to the arrest of around 90 members, including many office bearers, by Madurai city police. Of the roughly 2,100 people detained on Monday, while majority were released late in the night, Tallakulam police booked two cases against 90 people.
The booked people were produced on Tuesday morning before Judicial Magistrate II in Madurai, who remanded them to judicial custody. JACTTO-GEO members said that bail petitions have already been moved for the arrested members.
