Chennai: 550 nurses detained after hunger strike for permanent jobs

India Dec 19, 2025

More than 550 nurses in Chennai were briefly detained on Thursday night after holding a hunger strike for permanent jobs and better benefits.
Organized by the Tamil Nadu Nurses Development Association, the protest saw hundreds of MRP nurses refusing to leave until police stepped in.
After being released early Friday, they picked up their protest right where they left off.

What are the nurses asking for?

The nurses say they were promised permanent positions and other benefits back in 2015 but are still waiting.
Their main demands include job regularization, paid maternity leave, and equal pay for equal work.
Many feel let down by the DMK government, which had pledged these changes before coming to power.