Noida Construction Workers' Protest Turns Violent Over Unpaid Wages
Construction workers in Noida resorted to violence last Saturday, alleging that a developer had failed to pay their wages for several months, leaving them in dire financial straits. The laborers set four vehicles ablaze and vandalized the developer's office.
Construction laborers’ protest turned violent.
During the protest, two construction workers sustained injuries when security guards fired into the air in an attempt to disperse the crowd. The guards involved in the shooting were subsequently apprehended by the authorities.
The incident unfolded at an under-construction residential project being developed by 3C Company. Law enforcement personnel from four different police stations in Noida were dispatched to the scene to quell the unrest.
In addition to the damage inflicted upon the company's office, four vehicles—two motorcycles and two cars—parked outside the premises were also set on fire. Computers, laptops, and glass panes within the office were also damaged during the disturbance.
Construction Laborers set four vehicles on fire during their protest.
A senior police officer provided an account of the events. Approximately 1,000 construction workers were standing in line when a mason was jostled out of formation. A security guard, Manoj Pandey, intervened to prevent the protestors from entering the site, which precipitated the clash. As the workers attempted to gain entry, they were met with resistance from the guards. The guards then discharged their firearms into the air to scatter the crowd, inadvertently injuring two protestors in the process. The injured individuals were identified as Jinarul, who suffered a gunshot wound to the leg, and Mohammed Alam, who sustained a neck injury.
Doctors at Yatharth Hospital in Greater Noida, where Mohammed Alam was taken for medical treatment, described his condition as critical.
Four individuals were taken into custody by law enforcement. The confrontation persisted for approximately half an hour. SSP Preetinder Singh confirmed that the situation had been brought under control and that additional police personnel had been deployed to the site.