Chennai | Contract nurses protesting for permanent employment, job security and equal pay for equal work here have temporarily called off their hunger strike following assurances from the state government that their demands would be addressed.

According to the Tamil Nadu Contract Healthcare Workers Association (TCHWA) on Wednesday, the current protest has been temporarily postponed.

Association president Sundari said, "Following the request from Health Department officials, the protest has been temporarily postponed. If our demands are not met before November 3, a massive state-wide protest will be conducted." On Monday, a hunger strike was launched in Egmore here by the Nurses' Association, demanding permanent job status, job security, salary increments, and incentive pay.

Over a thousand nurses from across Tamil Nadu took part in the protest. Former minister and DMK leader Mano Thangaraj also took part in support of the nurses.

As the demonstration stretched into the night, police intervened to end the stir, detaining union members and Mano Thangaraj.

When police proceeded to detain the remaining nurses, an argument broke out between both sides, and a few nurses fainted.

Following assurances from senior officials of the Health Department that their demands would be fulfilled by November 3, the nurses announced the temporary withdrawal of their protest and all those detained were released