NOIDA, April 13: A wage protest by hosiery and industrial workers turns violent in Noida as protesters vandalise vehicles, set a car on fire, block roads for hours, and pelt stones at police who attempt to disperse the crowd in Phase-2 and Sector-60 industrial areas.
Police deploy in large numbers, use tear gas, and push back demonstrators after the situation escalates. Traffic towards the Delhi–Noida border and nearby arterial routes remains disrupted for several hours.
Authorities begin scanning CCTV footage to identify those involved in arson and vandalism and increase security presence across the industrial cluster.
Workers say they protest against stagnant wages and rising living costs in small and medium manufacturing units across Noida’s hosiery and garment hub. They demand a minimum monthly wage of ₹20,000 for eight hours of work and allege that current pay does not cover rent, food, fuel, and daily expenses.
Many protesters cite recent wage revisions in neighbouring Haryana and demand similar parity. They also accuse some factory owners of extracting overtime without proper payment and ignoring basic labour standards.
Senior district and police officials reach the spot, speak to worker representatives, and assure them that the administration will hear their grievances and initiate talks with factory associations on wage and compliance concerns.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath receives a briefing and directs local authorities to restore order while continuing dialogue with labour representatives.
Noida’s industrial zones employ thousands of migrant and semi-skilled workers in hosiery, garments, packaging, and small manufacturing units. Observers say the unrest highlights deeper tension over wage stagnation, inflation pressures, and uneven enforcement of labour protections in smaller factories. Police restore gradual calm by late evening as officials continue efforts to prevent further escalation.
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