Police on Friday allegedly lathicharged members of a disabled people’s association to prevent them from marching towards the Assembly seeking immediate filling up of vacancies in government departments.

Amrith Basumatary, 26, was seriously hurt in the lathicharge while nearly 200 people received minor injuries. All the injured were shifted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital.

Around 600 members of the Pratibandhi Suraksha Sangstha and Sadou Asom Dristihin Saatro Xontha had gathered at Last Gate around 11am to protest and were waiting for chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal or his cabinet colleagues to meet them and hear their demand to fill up vacant posts in the differently-abled category. But when the chief minister, according to the protesters, declined to come to the dharna spot, they decided to march to the Assembly which was in session. Eyewitnesses said the police then decided to intervene.

Deputy secretary (social welfare) Maznur Hussain, however, met the chief minister before the police action to discuss the demands of the protesters but they refused to talk to him. “We are not ready to talk with anyone other than the chief minister,” one of the protesters said.

The police said the situation became tense when the protesters tried to march towards the Assembly. Nearly 200 of them were arrested, the police said.

“On August 2, minister Pramila Rani Brahma assured us that our demands will be fulfilled and an action plan drawn up to ensure differently-abled persons get appointments in various government departments. But there is no advertisement regarding those vacant posts,” Sangstha general secretary Nripen Malakar said.

“During the tenure of the Congress government, the number of vacant posts was 3,800 and at present, the number stands at 4,419. We demand the Assam government to fill the vacant posts as soon as possible. Otherwise, we will intensify our agitation.”

The Sangstha also demanded reservation for disabled persons in legislative council and introduce and conduct a teacher eligibility test (TET) for differently-abled candidates.