The five teachers were rushed to different hospitals for treatment.
Five contractual government school teachers in West Bengal's Kolkata allegedly drank a poisonous substance in front of the education department in Kolkata to protest against transfers to "distant places". All five women were rushed to the hospital after they fell sick.
At least two of the women are in a serious condition, the police said. Forensic teams reached the spot later in the evening to collect samples of the "poison" the teachers had consumed.
Members of Shikshak Aikya Mukta Mancha, a platform for contractual teachers, organised demonstrations on Tuesday in front of Bikash Bhavan, the building that houses the education department in Kolkata's Salt Lake, over job-related demands.
When the police reached the spot, the teachers demanded they be allowed to meet education minister Bratya Basu. However, the police refused to let them into the building citing Covid norms. The teachers with jostled with them. then pulled out small brown bottles and drank the contents inside them.
"I am Putul Mondal, I teach at Surya Sen Sishu Siksha Kendra. My home is at Bakkhali (in south Bengal), I have been transferred to Dinhata in Cooch Behar (in north Bengal). We want to meet Bratya Bose. They are not letting us. So we are drinking poison," one of the teachers said, before consuming the liquid inside the bottle, falling down and vomiting. The incident was recorded on camera by bystanders and the local media.
Two teachers, identified as Shikha Das and Jyotsna Tudu, have been admitted to NRS Medical College and Hospital and are reportedly in a serious condition. Putul Jana Mondal, Chabi Das and Anima Roy have been admitted to RK Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The teachers had also demonstrated on August 18 at the state secretariat, Nabanna, which is a high-security zone. The protesting women at Sat Lake on Tuesday claimed that they were being punished for protesting outside the chief minister's office.
After the incident, state education minister Bratya Basu rushed to the spot and met officials on the issue.
Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, "We hope the teachers get well soon. But we also need to see if they acted on someone's provocation."
BJP spokesman Samik Bhattacharya said, "The incident shows how desperate people are getting here, especially teachers. The government is responsible. The government should look into the condition of teachers in Bengal. The government that has failed to create jobs or fill vacancies. We pray for the quick recovery of the teachers."
Earlier this month, around 40 para-teachers had demonstrated before the residence of Mr Basu in Kolkata to press for their job-related demands. The para-teachers, who work on contract in government-run schools, have for long been seeking salary hike and the status of elementary teachers.