Surat: More than 2,000 workers of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) protested at the ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) plant in Hazira near Surat on Thursday. The workers are demanding higher wages and better working conditions. As workers allegedly resorted to violence, police were called and ended up firing 70 tear gas shells over 30 minutes before the mob dispersed. Three police officials including a DCB police inspector and a constable were injured and an FIR for attempted murder is being registered against 46 detained workers and the mob. According to police, the workers were allegedly inspired by videos of the protest at the IOCL refinery in Panipat, which have been circulating in cyberspace for the last few days. Workers at Panipat have been demanding higher wages, better conditions and other facilities. On Thursday morning, the messages began circulating in WhatsApp groups of labour contractors and sub-contractors working under L&T at the AM/NS campus in Hazira. Around 10.30am, large numbers had gathered and started protesting. Hazira police inspector V L Parmar and others reached the spot and tried to reason with the workers. AM/NS and L&T officials also told the workers that their demands would be considered. However, the mob allegedly began pelting police with stones, taking a cue from a couple of ‘leaders’. DCP Zone 7 Shaifali Barwal, ACP Sweta Daniels, police force from Ichhapore, Pal, Adajan, Dumas, Umra and other police stations soon arrived and tried to disperse mob. The workers allegedly began started damaging vehicles and property on the campus. They allegedly set at least one car on fire and damaged several other vehicles. Barwal told TOI: “We have detained 46 workers against whom an FIR is being filed under for attempted murder, rioting and damaging property. The protest was inspired by the Panipat workers’ protest which has been going on for the last two days. We are in the process of finding the people who instigated others. We are also investigating what the motive for this violence was.” In a statement, AM/NS India confirmed that the workers concerned were on an L&T contract and had been deployed at various places on the campus in Hazira. L&T issued a statement telling the workers that they will implement provisions of Gujarat’s new labour code once it is notified. BOX: PI suffers burns from tear-gas grenade DCP Shaifali Barwal, inspector V L Parmar and a PCR driver were injured in the violence. While Barwal was hit by a stone, Parmar suffered burns from a tear-gas grenade. Parmar was about to lob a tear-gas grenade when the stone pelting forced him to move into a vehicle. The grenade fell as his hand hit the car door and went off, causing him burns. He had to be hospitalized. The PCR van driver was injured by window glass after a stone hit a window.
