SUKKUR, May 11: A large number of employees of Taluka Council Sukkur on Saturday made hostage Taluka Nazim, Syed Kazim Ali Shah, and Taluka Municipal Officer, Manoher Kumar, a 19 grade officer, and other administrative officials and stopped them from disbursing salaries to the lower grade employees of the council.

The protesting employees also scuffled with the employees who were drawing the salaries.

Police were called in who controlled the situation and got both the Nazim and the officials freed. Cases have been registered against a dozen protesting employees and show-cause notices issued. No arrest had been made till filing of this report.

The trouble started when the council officials began distributing salaries to the lower grade employees, excluding the tax and octroi branch officials, as the funds received totalled Rs4.7 million, and not the required amount of Rs7.2 million.

The officials, who were excluded from payment of salaries protested when the Nazim decided to disburse salaries on Saturday to only the lower grade employees, including the sweepers.

The enraged employees occupied the room of TMO and made hostage Zila Nazim also who had gone into the TMO office to negotiate with the protesters. The salaries could not be distributed on Saturday as a result.