Police have lobbed tear gas shells to quell a factory workers’ protest in the Indian capital’s suburb of Noida after it turned violent on its fourth day, with vehicles torched and stones pelted in parts of the satellite city.
Local police said on Monday “minimum force” was used to maintain law and order, while Narendra Kashyap, a lawmaker in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, where Noida is located, called on protesters to discuss their demands with the government.
“Senior police and administrative officials are making persistent efforts to counsel the workers and urge them to maintain peace and restraint,” Gautam Budh Nagar police said in a statement.
Visuals showed dozens of protesters marching on the street and chanting slogans, while security personnel in anti-riot gear looked on.
Other visuals showed an overturned vehicle with flames rising out of it, and protesters hurling stones and trying to break through barricades.
Noida is among the largest planned industrial townships of Asia and houses thousands of industrial units.
Living costs across the world have risen as the US-Israel war on Iran curbed fuel supplies.
Similar protests in the neighbouring state of Haryana, where several car manufacturers have production units, last week saw the government order a 35 percent increase in minimum wages.
Vinay Mahoti, 30, who hails from the eastern state of Bihar and works at a hosiery company in Noida, said he initially protested inside his manufacturing unit, but later joined workers from other companies who took to the streets.
“Duty hours should be fixed, overtime hours should be paid, and companies … should adhere to the guidelines laid by the federal government,” he said, listing his demands.
