Gurgaon: An exercise to clear the Maruti Suzuki factory of debris and charred remains of items began in Manesar Saturday, three days after workers indulged in arson and vandalism inside the building.
“It might take a couple of days to complete the cleaning up procedure,” an official said.
Since no worker or anyone from the management has visited the factory since the incident, officials of Suzuki Powertrain India, a Maruti subsidiary, are taking out the debris and cleaning up the factory premises, the official said.
There was an uneasy calm outside the plant with around 400 policemen and 70 guards positioned at gate number 3 where the violence first erupted on Wednesday which subsequently led to the death of a senior executive in the company and left many people injured.
Meanwhile, 55 factory workers, including president of Maruti Suzuki Workers Union Rammehar Singh and the union’s patron Sandeep Dhillon, were booked for murder, attempt to murder and other offences.
In the police complaint, the name of Jiyalal, the worker who allegedly slapped supervisor Ramkishor Manjhi for an alleged casteist remark and triggered the whole episode of violence, is on the top.
The police are yet to arrest any of the people named in the complaint.
However, Wednesday night they rounded up 99 people. Eight of them were set free after questioning while 91 were sent to judicial custody.
Meanwhile, the Maruti Suzuki on Saturday said production at its Manesar plant will not resume till the causes of Wednesday’s violence are fully investigated.
“There is indefinite lockout at the Manesar plant,” Chairman R.C. Bhargava announced at a press conference.
“We are not in a position to start production at the factory. Safety of colleagues is more important than making some cars, making some money.”
He said the management had settled all issues with the workers unions after the last strike nine months ago.
In Wednesday’s clash between workers and management staff, a senior executive was killed and scores were injured.
Bhargava denied any plans of moving out of Manesar.
“This thought of us moving out of here is complete fiction,” he said. (IANS)
