Videos circulating from the scene showed chaotic moments, including a man being dragged away by police while others screamed in protest.
Smoke hung over Noida’s industrial skyline on Monday as a three-day workers’ agitation over low wages turned into sabotage and clashes. He left behind burned cars and closed roads. The unrest intensified after some female workers were beaten during police movements.
in In the Phase 2 industrial area in Noida, workers gathered in large numbers, blocking main roads in Sectors 1, 60 and 84. Traffic came to a halt as anger spread to the streets. What started as a demand for better wages quickly escalated after a police crackdown using tear gas and lathi charges led to arson, vandalism and stone-pelting. Several vehicles were set on fire and others were damaged during the clashes.
“They defeated us for no sin.”
A female protester told news agency ANI: “I work at Motherson. They pay us less. We want more. When we organized a sit-in protest, they beat us through no fault of ours. Cylinders, vegetables and everything are expensive.”
She added: “I was injured in my leg, and I demand payment of our wages $20,000 salary. Only then can we sustain ourselves; Otherwise, the protest will continue.”
“Policemen beat girls with sticks”
Another protester, who spoke to PTI, said, “The government has promised to increase our salaries. Why is the government not increasing our wages? Why are policemen beating women with sticks? What is the need for lathi duty?”
Videos circulating from the scene showed chaotic moments, including a man being dragged away by police while others screamed in protest.
Why are workers protesting in Noida?
The agitation, largely led by workers from the hosiery complex and other manufacturing units, was driven by demands for equal pay with neighboring Haryana and better working conditions. For many, Demand is a salary that they believe can keep up with inflation.
One of the workers said Hindi news, “We must make money $20,000 for 8 hours of work. Alternatively, some companies give a raise of $280, or gives some other $300 as an increase. Meanwhile, our house rent increases by $500.”
What the protesters in Noida are demanding
Another worker, Manju Devi, said she works long hours for modest wages. “Our salary is very low. I make money. I make money.” $13000 [a month]. She said: “I work 12 hours a day. How can I raise four children with this salary? How can I feed them and educate them?” I wondered.
A third worker said: “Our problem is that gas prices are rising but our salaries are not increasing.” “The salary is $13,000 should be increased to $He said 20,000.
The ripples of unrest reached the city’s commuters. A passenger from Sector 62 found himself caught in the crossfire.
“We saw a car burning in front of us and had to make a U-turn,” he told reporters. “Rocks were being thrown, and the police were trying to control the crowd. Everyone was trying to get out of there.”
Another man, who was stuck for more than an hour near an industrial area, said: “It wasn’t like a protest; I felt unsafe. There was no clarity about what was happening, and people were trying to escape the area.”
Political reaction
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav blamed the ruling administration. “Injustice has reached its peak under the BJP government. All kinds of injustices are happening,” Yadav told news agency ANI.
“What we saw today in Noida, is that workers are demanding their rights on a large scale. The entire responsibility lies with the administration and the government… When the salaries of workers were increased in other states, why did the government not provide relief in Uttar Pradesh?”
Anita Goswami is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she primarily covers Indian and international news. With four years of experience in the field, she has led coverage of Indian general elections, Assembly elections, and national polls in the US, Canada, Bangladesh and Nepal. Its reports cover world wars and major events, including Operation Sindoor, the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina, and the Mahakumbh Mela. It verifies the facts and uses clear sources to ensure the accuracy of the reports. As a former Editor-in-Chief at Storytailors, she has managed teams to produce high-quality content for networks such as NDTV, Profit, CNBC-TV18, Upstox and News18. Her work has appeared on NDTV, Meaww and Global Pulse. Throughout her tenure, Anita has collaborated with and received mentoring from leading industry experts. When she’s not reading, Anita can be found outside or at a bakery. Areas of interest: Indian political history, international elections, historical policy analysis, global conflicts, cultural events, Formula 1, art, media ethics, reporting on social and political change over time.Read more
