ROHTAK, Aug. 24 -- The 18-day-old sanitation workers' strike in Haryana took a confrontational turn on Sunday as municipal authorities, backed by police, launched clearance operations in several cities to remove mountains of accumulated garbage, leading to detentions and clashes with protesting workers.

The most serious confrontation was reported from Hisar, where more than 3,600 tonnes of uncollected waste had accumulated during the strike. Around 5 am, a municipal corporation team accompanied by a police contingent, earth movers and dumpers reached ITI Chowk to clear the garbage.

Striking workers attempted to stop the operation, following which police detained several protesters. A confrontation also broke out between women sanitation...