Bengaluru, Apr 19: Several buses were set on fire and a police station was attacked as protest by garment factory workers against the new provident fund rules turned violent on the second day of their stir here today.
Protesters pelted stones at Hebbagodi Police Station and torched seized vehicles parked there, as the spontaneous agitation with no trade union leading it spun out of control.
Police said they had to resort to lathicharge and fire teargas shells to disperse violent protesters.
At least two Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation buses and one of Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation have been set on fire, they said.
Incidents of stone-pelting on buses and other vehicles were reported from different parts of the city such as Bannerghatta and Jalahalli cross, as also near the Electronics City, the hub of IT firms.
Traffic jams were reported at various entry and exit points in the city like Hosur Road, which leads to Electronics City and Tumkur Road, which has a large concentration of garment units.
City Police Commissioner N S Megharikh said the situation was under control, but there "are some issues" on the city's outskirts.
"...we are at work, our officers are at the spot, reinforcement has already gone there. The situation is being brought under control," he said.
Police said other workers too have joined garment workers in the protest today.
There are approximately over 12 lakh garment factory workers in Bengaluru, the city police chief said.
State DGP Om Prakash said the situation went out of control at Hebbagodi and Jalahalli, where reinforcements had been sent. The situation was being monitored by Additional Commissioner of Police.
He said police did not expect the protest to take a violent turn. "Strict action will be taken against those damaging public property and pelting stones at public," he said, and appealed to the protesters to hold discussions with the department concerned to resolve the issue.
"The situation is under control. It will come to normal shortly," he said.
Police had resorted to a 'mild' lathicharge yesterday to control a 'mob' of garment workers who pelted stones injuring four police personnel during the protest, police said.
Workers opposing amendment to Employees Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 have expressed fear that the new rule would take away their right over employer's contribution portion of provident fund till they attain 58 years.
The kidnapped schoolboy was rescued by the police and reunited with his parents. Son of a gift shop owner from Basavanagudi area in Bengaluru, Chirag has reportedly told police that decided to make some quick money to spend on cricket betting and gambling after learning kidnap tricks from the ‘Crime Patrol’. According to police, Chirag reached a private school around 3pm on Tuesday on a Bounce rental bike and zeroed in on a fourth standard student who was walking out of school. He told the boy he was his father's friend and that he required help to search for a relative who had gone missing. The boy believed Chirag and rode pillion on the bike. Chirag then engaged the boy in conversation and learnt about his father's business and got his mobile phone number. He then made a call to the boy's father, demanded Rs 5 lakh and warned him against approaching cops. However, the boy's father alerted Cottonpet police and special teams were formed to crack the case. While Cottonpet inspector Venkatesh TC's squad verified CCTV footage in and around the school, Chamarajpet inspector BG Kumaraswamy's team started tracking the suspect's mobile phone movements. An hour later, the suspect's location was traced to a hotel on the Lavelle Road-St Mark's Road stretch. Police rushed there, rescued the boy and arrested Chirag.
Comments
Police team is playing cricket or what???
Gullible people voted for Modi, hoping for ache din... now protesting.. Being beaten up by Police. MoNa did what he promised, and you got what they did not want - LOL !
Why the hell do protesters damage and set fire on public property. Let them burn their own houses and vehicles!
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