Noida Protest News: Industrial factory workers in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida continued their protests on Monday, demanding higher wages, with the situation turning violent as protesters set vehicles on fire and resorted to stone pelting after a female employee was beaten by a lathi during a police move.
The incident was reported in Phase 2 of Sector 60 and 62 in Noida district, police said. Police forces were deployed heavily in Noida to control the situation.
The protests that have been taking place in the region for four or five days were launched by workers’ demands to increase their wages, in accordance with labor laws.
Also on Friday, April 10, thousands of workers working in the second phase in Noida staged protests and pelted stones at the police, prompting the authorities to use intense force.
Protesters reportedly vandalized police vehicles on Monday and even set fire to government vehicles during their rampage.
Speaking to news agency PTI, one of the protesting workers wondered why the government had not increased their wages.
Read also | Amid hosiery aggregator protest, Noida warns companies of layoffs, delays in wages
“The government promised to increase our salaries by 100% $20,000. Why doesn’t our government increase? Why do police beat girls with sticks? What is the need for lathi charge?” I asked.
As a result of the ongoing protests, traffic on the Delhi-Noida border was also affected, with passengers stranded for hours amid huge traffic congestion.
Sufficient number of police have been deployed across the industrial areas of Gautam Buddh Nagar Commissionerate, officials said, adding that senior police officers and administrative officials are on ground to monitor the situation.
“The situation is under control and remains under constant monitoring. Efforts are being made to counsel the workers and maintain peace. Minimum force is being used wherever necessary to maintain law and order,” PTI reported, citing a police statement.
The authorities reportedly appealed to the public not to pay attention to the rumours, assuring them that normalcy was returning to areas hit by the protests.
Delhi Police is on high alert
Amid protests by factory workers in Noida, Delhi Police has also been put on high alert, Press TI reported. The now violent protests have prompted authorities to tighten security measures along the main entry points into the national capital, officials said.
Several teams have been deployed on all navigable roads linking Noida to different parts of Delhi, the news agency reported, quoting police sources, adding that the deployment was particularly undertaken at key border points with UP to prevent unrest from spreading to the capital.
“Delhi Police is fully alert and alert. Adequate force has been deployed at all strategic locations. No one will be allowed to violate law and order,” a senior police officer was quoted as saying.
(With inputs from Sunil Ghosh)
