Imphal, March 11: Manipur police picked up and detained 12 leaders of striking employees after the staff of the state-run Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital stayed away from work for the third day today.

The move comes a day after the Okram Ibobi Singh government cracked the whip against the striking employees of the hospital, threatening action against them.

State chief secretary D.S. Poonia yesterday asked the striking employees to resume duties latest by 10am today or face administrative action.

The chief secretary’s threat came after a two-day ceasework by employees under the banner of Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital Non-Gazetted Employees’ Welfare Association forced the closure of the out patient and casualty departments.

The strike triggered an exodus by patients admitted to the wards.

Undeterred by the threat of action, the striking employees planned to continue the strike and stage a sit-in in front of the hospital this morning.

However, police foiled the plan as they rounded up 12 striking employees, including the association’s president, L. Chandrakumar, and 10 female staff, and detained them at Porompat police station.

S. Ibomcha Singh, the medical superintendent of the hospital, said some of the employees rejoined their duties today and a semblance of normality had been restored. The staff were assisted by nurses and other employees of the proposed Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences.

After two days of forced closure, the OPD and casualty department functioned today. The hospital also requisitioned services of lab technicians from the rural health mission.

A large number of police personnel was deployed at the hospital at Porompat in Imphal East.

While armed police personnel stood guard outside the hospital building, male and female police personnel armed with canes, were seen patrolling the corridors and wards of the hospital.

“The heavy deployment is to prevent any disruptive activities by the strikers,” a senior police official said.

The hospital staff, barring the doctors, on March 9 joined the ceasework launched by the employees of non-essential services under the banner of Joint Administrative Council (JAC) since January 16, demanding implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations in toto.

Ibomcha Singh said he would submit a report to medical director Y. Yaima after collecting information about the staff who were yet to join duty.

A copy of the report would also be submitted to the chief secretary for further action.

Later in the afternoon, the employees demonstrated in front of Porompat police station to protest the arrest of the 12 striking employees.

A spokesman for the JAC said the protesters would not cow down to the threat of disciplinary action.