Workers ransack Priyagold unit,17 held

At least 17 people have been arrested and 300 others have been booked for rioting and creating a ruckus at the factory premises of Priyagold Biscuits in the Udyog Vihar area of Greater Noida on Thursday.

The incident occurred after news spread that an official had slapped a labourer. This was followed by labourers gathering and creating violence inside the company. "We have arrested 17 labourers of the company and have lodged an FIR against 300 unknown people for damaging, rioting and unlawful assembly," said SHO, Surajpur, Manish Saxena.

The mob ransacked the office premises on the ground and first floor, broke down windows of the office building, damaged cars parked on the premises and had a scuffle with the management staff. Company officials said that the mob was instigated by some outsiders.

Police teams tried to control the mob which had gone unruly but stones were pelted at them when they tried to intervene.

Meanwhile, the general manager of the company denied all the allegations of a company official slapping a labourer.

"The workers were annoyed with some issue. They were alleging that some officers favoured another group which is a non- issue. They have damaged a lot of the property and even manhandled the company's officials," said DK Tyagi, General Manager, Priyagold Biscuits.

He added "We have filed our complaint as we have around 1000 workers so we can't identify who were actually involved in the violence."