Noida Workers Clash with Police in Wage Protest

Factory workers in Noida's Phase 2 industrial area clashed with police on Monday, turning a demonstration for higher wages into a scene of violence that included stone-pelting, vandalism and arson, while causing severe traffic disruptions along the Delhi-Noida border.

The unrest began early in the morning when thousands of workers from hosiery and garment factories in the Hosiery Complex and nearby Sector 60 gathered to demand salary revisions, overtime compensation, bonuses, weekly holidays and improved workplace safety. Officials said the protest, which had been building for days, escalated after altercations with security forces. Protesters damaged vehicles and property, with at least one car set ablaze, prompting police to deploy reinforcements, including Provincial Armed Constabulary units. Authorities used mild force, such as tear gas in some instances, to disperse crowds and restore order.

Senior police officers from the Gautam Buddh Nagar Commissionerate stated that the situation was brought under control by midday, with heavy deployments across industrial zones to prevent further incidents. "The situation is under control and being kept under continuous surveillance,"...