Patna, Dec 27 (IANS): More than 50 ward secretaries were injured after police resorted to a lathicharge to disperse them in Patna on Monday. Around 5,000 ward secretaries who were staging a dharna for the last 13 days, assembled at the state BJP headquarters on Veerchand Patel Path in the city to press their demand for salaries and permanent jobs.

As they were assembled in large numbers outside the BJP office, Patna police reached at the spot and tried to disperse them using mild force. The protesters refused to vacate the place leading to a scuffle between them and the police. The protesters pelted stones at the police party, smashing police vehicles, breaking glasses. The vehicles were parked on both sides of the road.

The protesters also pelted stones inside the BJP office and damaged some property as well.

"We have been demanding for the last 13 days to address our grievances but no one from the government has listened to us. We assembled at BJP headquarters on the assurance by Panchayati Raj Minister Samrat Chaudhary, but he refused to meet us. Moreover, Patna police forcibly tried to drive us away from here," said one of the agitators, Rakesh Kumar who came from Nalanda.

The situation turned so ugly that the police had to resort to a lathicharge. Over 50 protesters including some women were injured in the police action. The police also used water cannons on them.

Meanwhile, an officer of Kotwali police said that an FIR has been registered against unknown persons for damaging private and government property. The videography of the entire incident has been carried out to identify the violators. More than one dozen policemen were also injured in the clashes.