Two workers were badly injured on Saturday morning when security guards with a builder’s office in Noida Sector 108 opened fire as they were agitating for the quick entry at the working site.
The labourers — Alam (25) and Zilarul (22), suffered severe injuries on their shoulders and neck and were admitted to nearby Yatharh Hospital.
Nearly 250 factory workers gathered at the site and set around six vehicles on fire. The protesters also vandalised factory premises and looted company articles. This was the third incident of arson and loot in Noida industrial belt this year.
The police have imposed Section 144 and security has been stepped up in the city. Police also arrested four security guards — Manoj Pandey, Priya Kumar, Umesh and Anil Kumar Jena — and filed cases under appropriate Sections in Sector 39 police station.
The incident took place around 8 am when a group of labourers had an altercation with the management of 3C Construction Company over the entry at construction site.
According to the police, company workers were in a hurry to start their shift that angered the security guards. Over 25 guards picked up fight with the workers and some of them opened fire causing injuries to Alam and Zilarul.
A senior police official said that the situation turned ugly when over 250 vandals, living in nearby locality, came at the site and started protesting against the company. They also pelted stones at the office of the company and set company and vehicles on fire.
“After violence in city, a large number of police force was deployed and the situation was brought under control. We have arrested four security guards and are interrogating them. We have also filed FIR against unidentified persons for causing violence in the region,” said Preetinder Singh, SSP, Noida.
Notably, it was the third incident of violence in Noida in the last 70 days. In all cases, the factory workers have expressed their anger against industrial units. The protesters have also set ablaze private as well as public property and have looted the company materials also. Despite crackdowns on all the occasions, the police have not been able to avert such incidents.