Patna, June 24 (IANS): Thousands of guest teachers who have lost their jobs protested on the streets of Patna on Monday.

The protestors were demanding reinstatement in the education department. They assembled near the Patna Zoo on Monday afternoon.

As they were in large numbers and not ready to leave the place, the police resorted to a lathicharge to disperse them.

“We were protesting at Bailey Road when the police arrived and initiated a lathicharge without any warning. The majority of the guest teachers were associated with the education department for 15 to 20 years. Now we are around 50. How would we get a job at this age?” said a protestor.

The Bihar government has sacked the guest teachers and appointed new teachers who have passed the BPSC examination. The district magistrate's office of the respective districts issued the order to remove the guest teachers.

Reacting to the incident, YH Khan, the duty magistrate, said that the teachers were protesting near Patna Zoo which is wrong. The administration first warned them to vacate the place. When they did not move, a mild lathicharge was undertaken. No one was reported to have been seriously injured in this incident.

Around 4200 guest teachers in Bihar lost their jobs following the order of the state government. Since then, they have been continuously protesting demanding their reinstatement.