A demonstration by teaching job aspirants seeking immediate recruitment in schools turned violent here on Tuesday when the police used "mild force" to disperse the agitators, who brought traffic to a halt in the Bihar capital, and clashes subsequently ensued between the two sides, officials said.

The agitators, who claimed to have cleared eligibility tests months ago, gathered at Dak Bungalow Crossing around noon, and blocked the thoroughfares, prompting the police to intervene, they said.

Talking to PTI, Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh said the police had to use batons and water cannons to disperse the protesters as they refused to call off the agitation and allow traffic movement, despite repeated requests.

"Clashes ensued between the police personnel and the agitators around 1.45 pm when attempts were made to clear the stretch for vehicular movement. Some demonstrators as well as policemen suffered minor injuries in the melee.

"Security personnel mildly lathi-charged the protesters and fired water cannons to bring the situation under control," Singh explained.

One of the protesters, talking to reporters, claimed that they had been seeking recruitment for months, having cleared Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) and Central Teacher Eligibility Test, but the state government was "indifferent to their plight".

"The state government did not issue any notification for our appointment as such. Six rounds of recruitment have been conducted after the declaration of results, and we have been waiting for the seventh phase to commence. Over two lakh posts of teachers in primary and higher secondary schools are supposed to get filled in the seventh phase," the agitator, who did not wish to be identified, added.

Despite attempts, state education minister Chandra Shekhar could not be reached for his comment.

Officials of the education department, however, maintained that a notification about their recruitment would soon be issued.