India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Police on Thursday arrested ninety-nine people, mostly workers, for their role in Wednesday’s violence at Maruti Suzuki’s plant here. One person had died and over eight-five reportedly injured, including two Japanese nationals, in the workers-management clash. Sixty workers, including union leaders, have been charged with murder, attempt to murder, causing grievous injury and rioting. CCTV footage is being used to piece together the turn of events. Both parties have blamed each other for the incident. The management alleges that some senior officials of the company were severely beaten up by the workers. The workers, however, have contested that claim, alleging that a supervisor made a casteist remark against a Dalit worker. Interacting with media persons, Om Prakash, Station House Officer (SHO), Manesar , said, “The management has given some names of union leaders. An FIR has been lodged against around 60 workers.” A case under sections for murder, attempt to murder, causing grievous injuries and damage to properties and other different sections of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the workers, he added. An altercation between a supervisor and a worker is said to have triggered the incident. The worker reportedly slapped his senior and was suspended, following which the workers resorted to violence and arson. Five portions of the plant including the security room and a control room were set afire. The workers destroyed some of the CCTV monitors in the control room. The workers also destroyed documents from the HR department. Later, the charred remains of a body were recovered. Maruti, in a statement, has accused the workers for starting the fire, and injuring at least 40 executives and managers. The statement has alleged that the union had tried to prevent the management from taking disciplinary action against the worker who slapped his senior, and that they had held the executives hostage in the factory. Maruti Suzuki Workers' Union (MSWU) general secretary Sarabjeet Singh has claimed that when workers protested against the supervisor's alleged remarks, management officials misbehaved with them and suspended the worker in question. The plant, now under heavy security cover, was shut down following the incident and there will be no production at the factory on Thursday. Last year, Maruti Suzuki had witnessed three separate instances of labour unrest at the same plant, which mainly produces the Swift, causing a total production loss of about 83,000 units. In June 2011, a 13-day strike demanding the recognition of the erstwhile Maruti Suzuki Employees' Union (MSEU) had brought production to a standstill at the plant. It was followed by another standoff between the management and the workers on August 29 that lasted 33 days. In October 2011, the workers went on a 14-day strike that ended after the signing of a tripartite agreement between the management, workers and Haryana Government. The Manesar plant accounts for a third of Maruti's car making capacity at 550,000. The average revenue per car sold from the plant is higher than the overall revenue of the company.

Maruti Manesar plant violence: 99 arrested, 60 charged