Noida Factory Protest Turns Violent As Workers Demand Higher Wages, Vehicles Torched | VIDEO

Noida: A protest by factory workers demanding higher wages turned violent on Monday morning in the Phase 2 industrial area of Noida, with incidents of arson, stone pelting and clashes with police reported from the site.

Escalation of wage protest
Workers, who had been protesting for the past three days, said their demands were not being heard, triggering anger that spilled onto the streets. Protesters pelted stones, set several vehicles including buses on fire and blocked key roads, disrupting traffic across nearby sectors.

Scale of worker participation
Police said around 1,000 workers from companies such as Motherson, Richa Global, Rainbow, Paramount, SND and Anubhav had joined the agitation. Nearly 500 workers had gathered outside the Motherson facility, where the violence broke out.

Police action and clashes
When police tried to bring the situation under control, protesters allegedly overturned a police vehicle and intensified stone pelting. Police responded by firing tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Additional force from multiple police stations was rushed to the spot to contain the situation.

Citywide disruption spreads
The protests also spread to other parts of the city, with workers blocking roads and raising slogans in Sectors 1, 15 and 62, leading to heavy traffic congestion. A heavy police presence remains deployed, and efforts are ongoing to restore normalcy.

Workers cite low wages
Workers said their anger stems from low wages that they claim are not enough to survive rising costs. Raju, a factory worker involved in the protest, said they are only demanding what is rightfully theirs.

Daily wage concerns raised
“We are getting Rs 11,000 to Rs 12,000 a month. How can anyone survive on this in such expensive times,” he said. “A day’s wage should be at least Rs 800 to Rs 900, but we are being paid only Rs 300 to Rs 400.”

Government appeals for calm
Amid the unrest, Uttar Pradesh Minister of State Narendra Kashyap appealed for calm and urged workers not to take steps that could disturb law and order.

Assurance of government support
“I appeal to all those protesting in Noida to maintain peace and not do anything that disrupts law and order. The government is aware of the situation,” he said. “The state has moved forward on development under the double-engine government, whether it is MSMEs, employment or industry. I urge protesters not to be misled. If there are issues, they should sit with the government, which will work towards resolving them.”

Administration issues directives
District Magistrate Medha Rupam also urged people not to pay attention to rumours and said key decisions had been taken after talks with companies.

Measures for worker welfare
The administration also directed that CCTV cameras remain operational outside factories and that government guidelines be displayed on notice boards. A control room has been set up to address grievances, with helpline numbers issued for workers.

New workplace compliance rules
Further, all factories will be required to form internal committees to prevent sexual harassment at the workplace. Salaries will be paid in full by the 10th of every month, and issuing salary slips has been made mandatory. Complaint boxes will also be installed to allow workers to raise concerns.

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High-level committee formed :
Amid the deteriorating situation, the Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a high-level committee to address the industrial unrest and restore harmony. The panel, headed by the Industrial Development Commissioner, includes the Additional Chief Secretary of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises department and the Principal Secretary of the Labour and Employment department as members. An officer from Uttar Pradesh has been appointed as member secretary, while five representatives of labour unions and three from industry bodies have also been included.

Committee begins investigation
The committee has already reached Gautam Buddh Nagar and will examine the issue on priority before submitting its report to the government.