Seven people got injured in a major clash between casual workers of Steel Strips Wheels limited and company's security guards, over a dispute on formation of union of casual workers, on Wednesday morning. The company is a manufacturer of automotive steel wheels in Govindpur police station area near Telco and an ancillary of Tata Motors ltd.
A section of casual workers led by Rajiv Kumar Pandey was preventing other co-workers from entering the company premises on A-shift. Pandey along with his five-six supporters stopped other casual workers at the company gate and was collecting the signatures of the fellow casual workers, apparently for forming a trade union of casual workers.
As the company gate was crowded with casual workers, about 12 company security guards came out of the gate and caught hold of Pandey, dragging him inside the company premises. Sources revealed that the security guards beat him for creating unrest. The guards allegedly also thrashed those who had followed Pandey inside the company premises. As the news reached the workers, who were outside the gates, they got angry and stormed the company premises.
Sources revealed that the casual workers first ransacked the security control room and subsequently set a security rest-room and first-aid unit on fire. As the situation went out of control officer-in-charge of the Govindpur police station, Dayanand Kumar rushed to the company. Soon after deputy superintendent of police (City) Animesh Nathani arrived at the spot followed by SDO, Dhalbhum Suraj Kumar.
Soon fire-tenders also came to the spot and doused the fire.
The police picked up the injured workers, including Pandey and rushed them to the MGM Medical College Hospital for treatment. Two of the company employees who had also sustained injuries were treated at Tata Motors Hospital.
Pandey, who is undergoing treatment, said that he wanted to form a trade union. But the management assaulted them, as they were engaged in a signature campaign outside the company gate.
Dhalbhum SDO Suraj Kumar, who also visited the spot, said that the administration is carrying out an investigation into the circumstances that led to the violent protest.