Post News Network
Paradip, Nov 10: A protest by contractual workers of Essar Steel plant here turned violent Monday as workers who were on a dharna outside the plant’s main gate went berserk and assaulted company officials before ransacking the office premises.
The protesters also damaged vehicles and clashed with the police when the latter rushed to the spot. Around fifty company officials and five policemen were injured in the violence.Two platoons of police force including 20 senior officers were deployed at the spot to prevent an escalation of violence as a total of eight protesters were arrested till reports last came in.
Police said the contractual employees demanding payment of their arrears pending for over three months and revision of wages as well as Diwali bonus were on a dharna near the main gate of Essar Steel. The trouble began when striking workers assembled at the plant’s main gate and demanded to meet the senior officer of the company.
They turned violent and went berserk when the security personnel refused them entry into the plant premises. As a result, they started attacking the company officials and ransacking the office premises in protest. Security personnel deployed at the spot tried to prevent the workers from damaging the vehicles and property but were overpowered by protesters.
This led to a clash in which some workers and policemen were injured. The agitators also damaged a police van.
Police later chased the workers and cleared the main gate. The situation has been described as tense by police but is said to be under control.
Women workers Sephali Sarkar, Lipi Haldar, Amita Mandal claimed that the trouble began after the security personnel deployed at the plant gate misbehaved with them.
Paradip police IIC Bichitrananda Samal who was injured in the incident claimed that workers had not served any notice in advance to the company authorities or to police on staging a protest when they suddenly turned violent and caused the damage.