PUDUCHERRY: Violence broke out at a telecom tower manufacturing company at Sederapet industrial estate, following the death of a factory worker and severe injuries to another on Friday. Two policemen sustained head injuries and two company staff sustained minor injuries. A police vehicle was smashed and overturned while the windshields of a few company vehicles were damaged in the violence.
The incident took place at Ganges Internationale Private Limited, when the rope of a crane lifting steel parts broke. The steel parts fell on the workers, killing Jigar Malik (32) from West Bengal on the spot, while another worker suffered severe injuries and has been admitted to a private medical college, police sources said.
This led to an agitation by around 100 workers demanding compensation from the management of the company. However, with disagreement prevailing over the compensation offered and tension building up, the company sought police assistance. Sub-Inspector Murugan arrived at the scene and held talks with the workers. Subsequently, Superintendent of Police Shubham Ghose also came to the scene and tried to defuse the situation, but the workers refused to give up the struggle unless adequate compensation was provided. This led to an argument between the police and the workers.
Police then used mild force to disperse them and recovered the body of the deceased worker and tried to bring it out of the factory. But a section of the workers got enraged and turned violent. They overturned and smashed a police jeep and damaged the windshield of the company cars parked on the premises. With police trying to prevent the violence and maintain law and order, Sub-Inspector Murugan and a Head Constable were injured in the process with cut injuries on the head. More than 50 policemen were subsequently deployed at the factory.
Senior Superintendent of Police (Law and Order) Lokeshwaran who visited the spot said that the situation was under control. India Reserve Battalion personnel have been deployed. The body of the deceased worker has been sent for postmortem. Around 40 workers have been rounded up and are being interrogated. CCTV footage is being examined to find out those responsible for the violence, said the police.