Srinagar, May 9 (IANS): Police foiled a march by employees in Srinagar even as work in government offices remained paralyzed across the state Wednesday for the second successive day.

Over 4.5 lakh employees of the Jammu and Kashmir government went on a two-day strike Tuesday to press their demands, including enhancement in the retirement age from 58 to 60.

Thousands of employees took out marches from different points of uptown city Wednesday afternoon to 'gherao' the civil secretariat, the seat of power. However, it was foiled by strong contingents of police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers deployed around the secretariat building.

The security forces resorted to repeated baton charges and used coloured water cannons to disperse the employees who continued to re-group.

Scores of employees were arrested after being drenched in the violet-coloured water.

The state government is yet to take a decision on the demands even as a committee headed by the state chief secretary submitted its report to the cabinet sub-committee last month for consideration of the demands.