KOCHI/IDUKKI: Employees of Muthoot Finance were attacked in Kochi and Kattappana branches on Wednesday, allegedly by CITU activists, when they came to attend office, defying the strike called by the unions.
A section of employees has been agitating against the Muthoot management over the dismissal of 160 staff from the company’s 43 branches across the state in January. The stir is being held under the aegis of CITU-affiliated Non Banking Finance & Insurance Employees Association.
While two employees, including a woman staffer of Muthoot Finance’s regional office in Kochi, suffered injuries after miscreants attacked them near Kadavanthra Metro station on Wednesday, waste fish water was poured on another woman employee of the NBFC’s Kattappana branch by the CITU workers.
In Kochi, regional manager Vinod Kumar and assistant manager Dhanya P Nair were attacked by a two-member gang, using an iron rod, while the two were about to reach their office in the morning. While Vinod suffered back injuries, Dhanya’s elbow bone was fractured in the attack by the two bike-borne men. “It has been two days since we were receiving threats of shutting down the company. Though we work under police protection, we got life-threats from some,” said Vinod, addressing mediapersons at the Ernakulam Press Club.
The employees and Muthoot management allege that they were attacked by CITU workers. “We have been receiving threats and many of our branches were forcefully shut down by CITU workers,” said Babu John Malayil, DGM- corporate communications.
“In the attack, my left hand was fractured while I was trying to block repeated attacks on Vinod,” said Dhanya. CITU members attacked Anitha Gopal, who works as manager with the Kattappana branch office of Muthoot Finance.
In Kochi, police have confirmed that the CITU workers were behind the attack. “We received CCTV footages and after examining them we confirmed that they belong to CITU but we are yet to locate the attackers. The probe is on,” said a police official.