Over a hundred contractual workers posted at the Malda Medical College & Hospital (MMCH), who were laid off from service from August last year demonstrated till midnight in front of the office of the vice principal, who is also the superintendent of the hospital on Wednesday, demanding their reinstatement.

The protesters have threatened to stall different non-medical services of the hospital if the authorities do not consider their demand of immediate re-engagement.

The protests, which left Puranjay Saha, the vice-principal confined in his chamber for hours, made policemen rush to MMCH premises to try and disperse the demonstrators.

The latter however, continued the agitation till Saha came out of his chamber and assured that he would look into their demands.

Sources in MMCH said that 135 contractual employees, who had been working in different capacities like lab technician, data entry operator and conservancy staff, were served with a notice in July last year.

“Some of us have served even for 10 years here and yet, it was mentioned in the notice that our services are no longer required. This is unacceptable,” said Sharbari Lahiri, one of the demonstrators.

After their services were terminated, the contractual employees had sat in a demonstration in front of the hospital’s administrative building for months.

A couple of months back, when a team from the state health department was visiting MMCH, representatives of those employees had urged them to intervene.

“Later, MMCH authorities received an order from the state health department for extending the contract of those employees. But none of them has been re-engaged so far. That is why resorted to the protest,” said a source.

Saha, who was released by the demonstrators, denied commenting on the issue. Sources however, mentioned that he has assured them that the process for their re-engagement has been taken up and the matter is likely to be resolved soon.