Ninety-nine workers have been arrested by the police and a special team has been formed to probe the incident after Maruti Suzuki general manager (human resources) Awanish Kumar Dev was charred to death in violence at the Maruti Suzuki plant at Manesar Wednesday night. Nearly 90 others were injured in the violence, allegedly triggered by workers over the suspension of an employee. The factory has been shut.
The trouble started over an alleged casteist remark passed by an official against a worker. The police claimed the worker beat up the official over the remark.
Trouble started after the worker was suspended. A mob allegedly attacked executives, managers and supervisors and started a fire in the fire-safety section.
“We have lost Awanish Kumar Dev, GM (HR), at Manesar plant, who was burnt to death by the mob. We are still assessing the total damage to property and facilities from the acts of arson. The office facilities have been burnt beyond repair. Such acts of violence — preplanned, unprovoked and gruesome — have implications beyond one company or region,” an official Maruti release stated.
It added: “They are negative triggers for existing companies and regions across the country, as also for prospective investors and job-seekers. We are extending full cooperation to the police and government authorities in identifying the guilty and taking suitable action.”
Tension continued to prevail in the area with the police likely to make more arrests.
Those arrested have been charged with rioting with weapons, murder, attempt to murder, unlawful assembly, assault and trespass.
“Such violence will not be tolerated. There are many ways to sort out petty issues. We have arrested around 99 workers for their alleged involvement in the violence. The FIR has been filed against the workers for damaging property, attempt to murder and murder. A manhunt has been launched to nab the accused workers who fled after the incident,” Haryana DGP Ranjeev Singh Dalal said.
However, the Maruti Suzuki Workers’ Union (MSWU) accused the management of calling in hundreds of bouncers on its payroll to attack the workers.
The union, however, said it was ready for a dialogue with the company management.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by assistant commissioner of police Ravinder Tomar has been constituted to probe Wednesday’s labour unrest and violence, the police said on Thursday.