More than 100 people, including school teachers protesting against their termination and security personnel, were injured in Agartala on Wednesday after the police used tear gas and water cannons to control the demonstration, NDTV reported.

The protestors had gathered near the residence of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb. Tripura Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Arindam Nath said that 223 protesting teachers had been arrested.

The injured people were taken to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital and Agartala Medical College and Hospital.

On Wednesday morning, the district administration had banned large gatherings under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, The Indian Express reported. The police said that on Tuesday, some of the protestors had given a warning on social media about “undemocratic protests”.

The teachers have been protesting for more than 50 days now. As many as 10,323 of them were terminated after the Tripura High Court cancelled their appointment in 2014 because of certain irregularities in recruitment. The Supreme Court had also upheld the verdict in 2017.

The teachers were given their positions back on an ad hoc basis till March 31 last year, but were left without jobs after that. They have been demanding permanent jobs.

Meanwhile, Opposition leaders criticised the use of force on the protestors and their arrest. State Tripura Congress Vice President Tapas Dey accused the government of “behaving barbarically out of political bankruptcy”.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Bijan Dhar demanded that the government accept the demands of the teachers. “We condemn the barbaric attack on peaceful demonstration of sacked 10,323 teachers and their detention,” he was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. “We demand their immediate release as well as acceptance of their demand of reinstating in government service.”