Strike hits industrial activity in Haryana

A strike by workers' unions today in the Gurgaon-Manesar-Bawal belt in Haryana to protest the death of a worker during a group clash on Sunday crippled industrial activity in the region.

The strike got off to a violent start with angry workers assaulting a senior official of auto component maker Rico Auto, whose worker was killed during the clash on Sunday.

The incident occurred at about 10am when company deputy general manager Sanjiv Arya was entering the plant in a an under police escort, senior vice president (HR) of Rico Surender Singh said.

Rico Auto reported zero attendance and so did Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI). Maruti Suzuki India, however, said its operations were not affected.

"Over one lakh workers are participating and over 70 factories have been affected," claimed All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) Gurgaon District Secretary Suresh Gaud, who is leading the agitation.

The one-day strike was called by the Trade Union Council, an umbrella group led by the AITUC, demanding that an FIR be lodged against top Rico officials, including managing director Arvind Kapoor in connection with the death of 26-year-old
worker Ajit Kumar Yadav.

Yadav died on October 18 after getting injured during a clash between two groups of company employees here, sparking tension in the area.

Among the major auto makers, HMSI's operations were affected by the strike.