Violence in Gurgaon: Mob injures 17, torches 14 vehicles

About 2,000 workers of an apparel export company, Orient Craft Company, went on a rampage pelting stones at policemen and and burning vehicles in Gurgaon on Monday, alleging an assault of their colleagues by a contractor of the company.

According to the police, a contractor named Lawli had an argument with two workers — Naseeb and Anil Kumar — and allegedly assaulted them with a sharp object, the Hindustan Times reported . Soon after, workers from all three units of the company assembled to protest against the company management and demanded action.

When they got no answer, “They set on fire the vehicle of ACP (traffic) Ravi Tomar and pelted stones at the policemen,” Hamid Akthar, DCP (south), Gurgaon Police told HT.

The police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse the agitated workers.

According to The Times of India, the violent mob torched at least 14 vehicles. Hindustan Times said they set 20 bikes, two trucks, one SUV and one police Gypsy on fire, aside from damaging one fire tender and a Honda City car; and around 15 workers and two police constables suffered injuries in the clash.

Eyewitnesses told TOI, that the contractor had asked all labourers to report to work even on Saturday and Sunday, but they had refused. “When we joined work on Monday, contractor Harender came around 10.30 am and started abusing us. One of our colleagues, Rajesh, answered back and the contractor stabbed his hand and slapped him,” they told the newspaper.

The police, the newspapers have reported, apprehended five workers involved in the rampage and also lodged FIRs against the contractor and the workers.

Orient Craft company, located in Udyog Vihar in Gurgaon’s sector 37, is a textile export manufacturing business and supplies apparel to several international brands including Gap, Marks & Spencers, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Marc Jacobs.