Maruti Suzuki workers' union president held for protest over Honda stir

Gurgaon police on Tuesday arrested Maruti Suzuki Karmchari Union president Kuldeep Jhangu in two separate cases in connection with labour unrest at a Honda plant.

The first case was registered against Jhangu for leading a protest march by workers in the Gurgaon-Manesar-Neemrana automobile belt on February 19 to express solidarity with the workers at the Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) unit at Tapukakra near Bhiwadi in Rajasthan.

The march was carried out in violation of Section 144 of Indian Penal Code that had been invoked in view of the Jat reservation stir in Gurgaon, police said. The second case was registered against Jhangu for holding a protest outside the Honda corporate office in Badshahpur on the same day in violation of court orders.

According to Deepak Saharan, DCP, East (Gurgaon), two FIRs were registered against Jhangu at Sadar Bazar police station. He was sent to judicial custody till April 4 while his car mounted with speakers was also impounded by police.

The FIRs registered against Jhangu are under Sections 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of duty), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement) of IPC, added Saharan.