Gurgaon: A day after the district administration imposed prohibitory orders in Manesar to prevent protests by contractual workers, more than 1,000 workers defied the restrictions on Thursday morning, gathering outside multiple factories across sectors. The protesters vandalised police vehicles and set a police motorcycle on fire, an officer said.Despite heavy deployment — with over 1,200 personnel stationed in the area — workers, demanding an increase in minimum wages, turned restive. Around 9am, some groups began pelting stones at vehicles and damaging both public and private property.Police said official vehicles belonging to the Manesar station house officer and an emergency response vehicle were damaged. Protesters also broke glass panes at several industrial units and attempted to set furniture on fire, though this was prevented.To disperse the crowd, police carried out a mild lathi charge, leaving several workers injured. Six police personnel also suffered injuries during clashes.Officials said protesters blocked key roads near IMT Manesar, disrupting morning traffic. This came despite assurances from companies that wages would be increased, even as workers maintained they had not received formal confirmation of the hike.A case has been registered at IMT Manesar police station against unidentified persons for vandalism and assault on police personnel. No arrests were made at the time of reporting. A few people were detained but they were let off.The agitators moved in groups. A section of them attempted to enter the tehsil office, seeking written assurances on a wage hike, but were stopped by police and made to sit in a garden outside the premises.“Senior police officers, including DCP Manesar, did not allow workers to enter the tehsildar’s office. They coordinated with the authorities concerned and arranged a meeting with officials, who assured the protesters that their demands would be met, following which they dispersed,” a police officer present at the spot said.A senior police officer added, “We conveyed workers’ demands to the administration and held several meetings. Even after their demands were accepted, some miscreants joined the protest and incited vandalism. We had to use minimal force to protect industrial units and public property. As women were also present, due care was taken during the lathi charge.”At Modelama company, an emergency response vehicle team attempting to control the situation came under attack, with protesters hurling bricks and damaging the vehicle’s front and rear windscreens.Similarly, at Aumovio’s unit in Sector 5, protesters attempted to vandalise property before being dispersed by police. Many fled during the lathi charge, leaving behind slippers and shoes.A company official said management had already issued a notice assuring workers of a pay hike. “Over 200 people gathered outside the gate, but some outsiders joined and aggravated the situation. There was no need for the protest as we had already agreed to their demands,” the officer said.“We made our best efforts to maintain law and order. However, when protesters turned violent and attacked police vehicles, we had to use minimal force. No serious injuries have been reported, and there has been no formal communication from any hospital,” police spokesperson Sandeep Turan said.Asked why protests continued despite assurances, Nathu, a worker from Bihar, said they had not yet received written confirmation. While the protests across IMT Manesar were brought under control within an hour, police remained deployed in the area to maintain law and order.
