The Kolar police on Thursday arrested the taluk President of Students’ Federation of India, an association affiliated with Communist Party of India, in connection with the vandalism that took place at Wistron’s iPhone manufactory in Kolar on 12 December .
The Kolar Rural Police, who are probing the case, had detained Srikanth on Wednesday. Upon questioning, he was arrested on Thursday morning. The Kolar Rural Police said employees, who were not paid outstanding salary amounts and payment for overtime work, had allegedly approached Srikanth a few weeks ago, seeking help to organise a protest.
On 12 December, the employees of Wistron and SFI had planned to hold a protest outside Kolar Collector Sathyabhama’s office at 11 am. Police said that Srikanth allegedly curated the WhatsApp message, calling for the protest, which was circulated widely among employees.
The Kolar Rural Police said that Srikanth and several SFI activists allegedly entered Wistron’s premises on the morning of 12 December, and alleged that they too were part of the vandalism that occurred.
“Srikanth was arrested for instigating the violence and also bringing in people outside of the company’s employees into the plant which was vandalised,” the police said.
Wistron’s employees on the night shift had gone to meet the HR Department personnel with a letter demanding that the company pay the outstanding dues and the money for overtime work. Employees that TNM spoke to earlier had said that they were stonewalled. They also said that 12 December was not the first time they had approached Wistron’s management with their grievances and that the anger among thousands of employees was simmering over the last six months. The Kolar Police has arrested 132 people including employees and SFI activists so far.
An FIR was registered against 7,000 unidentified persons, including 5,000 contract workers at the Kolar Rural Police Station on 12 December, for vandalism, criminal breach of peace, rioting and assault.
(This story was first published in The News Minute and has been republished with permission)
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