Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, July 9: The candidates appearing in the written test scheduled to be held today for various posts in Department of Fire and Emergency Services held protest demonstration in both the capital cities after the department postponed the examination at the last moment.
Reports said that large number of candidates, who had been declared unfit during the physical test by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, assembled at the venue of written examination at Srinagar leading to chaos and confusion as the authorities had made arrangements only for the candidates selected for the written test.
After being denied permission to appear in the written test, the rejected candidates turned violent and started pelting stones on the examination centre. Keeping in view the prevailing situation, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services decided to post-pone the written examination as conducting examination in chaos and confusion was not advisable.
Following the announcement about postponing of the written examination, even those candidates, who were otherwise selected for the test, resorted to protest on the ground of inconvenience caused to them due to the department’s decision at the last moment.
Thousands of candidates who had gathered at Indore Stadium in Srinagar to appear in a recruitment test protested against authorities for ‘mismanagement’ in conducting the exam, following which police used force to disperse them.
Around 10,000 candidates were called to appear in the written test for the appointments in the Fire and Emergency Services Department at the stadium. However, the irate candidates alleged that exam authorities did not have proper arrangements to accommodate all of them due to shortage of space, which resulted in a mess.
The situation went out of control and police was forced to swing into action. It also led to traffic snarls around the area.
Meanwhile, when the authorities of the Fire and Emergency Services Department apprised the candidates gathered at Kala Kendra, Jammu about the postponing of the test, they too turned violent and started raising slogans against the department. They moved towards Bikram Chowk and blocked the vehicular traffic there.
The agitating candidates even damaged the barricades of Economic Reconstruction Agency and placed them on the road thereby causing traffic jam. The road blockade continued for quite long time resulting into choking of various roads of Winter Capital.
Some of the candidates alleged that it was due to department’s fault that even those candidates, who were declared unfit in the physical test, reached the venue at Srinagar to appear in written test. A large number of candidates also alleged that despite clearing physical test they had not been issued admit cards for the written test by the department.
In view of prevailing situation, police personnel rushed to the spot and started pacifying the agitating candidates but of no avail. Later, Deputy Commissioner Jammu and SSP Jammu too reached the spot but they too failed to pacify the agitators. Following this, police resorted to mild-lathicharge on the protesters. In the cane-charge, not only some protesters even passers-by including students of Jammu University sustained minor injuries.
Later, the protesters dispersed and movement of the vehicles started. However, it took more than two hours to the Traffic Police personnel to clear jamming on different roads of Jammu.
Meanwhile, according to an order issued by Chairman, Departmental Recruitment Board, Fire and Emergency Services, J&K, the written test scheduled today for the posts of Fireman/Fireman Driver and for the posts of Foreman/Junior Electrician, Painter/ Vulcanizer/ Plumber/Sub Officer (Steno-Typist) and Leading Fireman-M (Junior Assistant) to be held tomorrow at Indoor Sports Complex, Srinagar, Kala Kendra, Jammu and Indoor Sports Complex, Kargil has been postponed. The new dates will be notified separately.
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