Kolkata (PTI): Government employees in Bengal, who had been staging a protest seeking dearness allowance (DA) hike, lodged a police complaint after a poster was found pasted at the protest venue in Dharmatala here threatening to bomb the agitators if they don't call off the demonstration.
Describing the strike as a "drama", the poster said 'call it off or you will be bombed'.
"We have received a complaint in this regard and have started investigating the matter," an officer at Maidan police station said on Monday.
According to one of the agitators, the poster "was probably put up in the early hours" as nobody had noticed any outsider coming to the camp.
"We are not scared of such threats. We will continue our strike till the demands are met by the state government. Such threats will consolidate our unity and help us fight for our rights," he said.
Agitators, who have been demanding that their DA be raised at par with central government employees, had called for a strike last Friday, affecting work in government offices.
A section of demonstrators had also been observing hunger strike to press for the demand.
Notably, senior TMC leader and city mayor Firhad Hakim had described the strike as a "drama".
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said in the assembly last week that she would not be able to meet the demand for a DA hike even if the protesters "behead" her.
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Lucknow (PTI): The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday ordered a probe by the special task force (STF) into alleged irregularities in the rejoining of a teacher at City Intermediate College in Barabanki, observing that the reinstatement appeared to be prima facie illegal.
The court also directed the recovery of the salary paid to the teacher during the disputed period.
A bench of Justice Rajeev Singh passed the order on a petition filed by the college management committee. The court expressed doubts over the roles of the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS), Barabanki, the college principal and the teacher concerned and hence, directed a detailed inquiry into the matter.
Taking note of alleged manipulation of records and misleading submissions, the court ordered the immediate transfer of the Barabanki DIOS to ensure a fair probe. It also directed the initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the then joint director of education of the Ayodhya division.
In its order, the court found that the teacher, Abhay Kumar, was initially appointed as an assistant teacher in 2018 but joined an Eklavya Model Residential School in Chhattisgarh as a lecturer in June 2024 without obtaining permission from the management. His subsequent request to retain the lien was rejected.
Despite this, he was allowed to rejoin the Barabanki College in September 2025 on the directions of the joint director of education and the DIOS, and was even paid the salary for October 2025. The court termed the rejoining "wholly illegal" and lacking any legal basis.
The bench also expressed concern over lapses in communication within the education department and directed the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary to ensure that official orders are communicated through email and WhatsApp as well, to prevent disputes.
The matter is next listed for hearing on May 28 when a compliance report is sought.
