Rohan Umak
Noida protests: A man said to be the key accused behind inciting violence during recent labour protests which erupted in Noida has been arrested in Tamil Nadu on Sunday after an intensive search operation, the police said. As per police, the arrested accused, identified as Aditya Anand, was apprehended from the Tiruchirappali Railway Station with the coordinated efforts of the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police and the Special Task Force (STF).
Anand had been on the run for several days, and was carrying a bounty of Rs 1 lakh. A court in Gautam Buddh Nagar had issued a non-bailable warrant against him recently.
Noida protests: Anand’s role in escalating violence
Officials aware of the case said that Anand is suspected of playing a pivotal role in turning a peaceful protest of the workers into a violent confrontation. He, as per police, is believed to have coordinated activities and also circulated provocative content that fuelled unrest in Noida’s industrial belts.
He was booked by the Phase-2 police station, and is currently being interrogated to identify other accused involved. Efforts are also being made to ascertain whether there were wider networks behind the mobilisation.
Factory workers protested in Noida earlier
It is noteworthy that earlier this month, thousands of factory workers had congregated across Noida, putting forth demands of better wages and improved working conditions. Most of them were contract labourers employed in small-scale units producing auto parts, garments and electronics.
The workers, whose salary ranged between Rs 10,000-Rs 15,000 had demanded a minimum wage of Rs 20,000. A recent wage hike in neighbouring state, Haryana had prompted the protests. However, the peaceful demonstration quickly spiralled into violence, following which, the security forces resorted to tear gas and lathicharge to disperse crowds. Several workers, including women, alleged the police used excessive force.
According to police, more than 300 persons were arrested in connection with the demonstrations, which had culminated into arson and stone-pelting. The investigating police personnel are also examining the use of messaging platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp, where groups had allegedly been created overnight to organise the protests.
Labour dept announces crackdown against industrial units
In the aftermath of the unrest, the authorities have intensified scrutiny of the industrial units located in Noida. The labour department, meanwhile, has served notices to 203 contractors across 24 factories, directing them to pay dues as high as Rs 1.16 crore to workers.
