Police and Tata Steel security guards fired in the air on Monday after contract labourers, protesting against the alleged slapping of one of their colleagues, torched several vehicles in the company premises here and resorted to brick batting.
The trouble started when a company security guard slapped one of the labourers after they had a heated argument over entering the premises, East Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner Ravindra Agarwal and SP Navin Kumar Singh told reporters at the spot.
Angry labourers set fire to several vehicles parked inside the premises and two police jeeps. Dozens of bicycles, motorcycles and an equipment for registering attendance were also damaged by the labourers, DSP P N Ram said.
The labourers resorted to brick batting when the police tried to intervene, Ram said, adding police then fired two to three rounds in the air to quell the mob.
Four labourers were injured in the melee, he added.
Tata Steel security guards also fired four rounds in the air, Superintendent of Police (City) Jatin Narwal said.
The situation is under control now, Agarwal said.
Meanwhile, Tata Steel officials said the incident had nothing to do with the company as the problem was an issue between a contractor and his labourers. PTI
