Bhubaneswar, Aug. 27: Around 500 block grant school teachers were arrested for violating prohibitory orders in front of Orissa Assembly today.

The agitating teachers, who had been on an indefinite hunger strike on Mahatma Gandhi Marg since August 17, 2011, were arrested when they entered into the no entry zone. All the teachers were later released.

The teachers said that they would intensify their protests in the coming days. They would also observe Teachers’ Day as a black day.

“We will not join our duty until the state government fulfils our demands. All the 1,983 schools will remain closed till fulfilment of the demands. On September 10, we will take a decision about a mass gathering in Bhubaneswar,” said Prasant Kumar Mohapatra, president of the Block Grant Secondary Teachers’ and Employees’ Association.

The block grant school teachers and employees have been on protest path path since August 1 demanding equal salaries on par with their counterparts in government high schools and abolition of block grant.