Mazdoor Bigul Dasta member Rupesh Rai has been identified as the main accused in the Noida industrial violence, a fresh report said. Three organisations, which were not officially named by the UP Police, have been blamed for instigating the violence, the report added. It was not clear if the left-leaning Mazdoor Bigul Dasta was one of the three.
The three groups have been accused of forcing Noida's factories to close down. The probe team has recovered WhatsApp messages from Rupesh Rai's phone that were clearly sent with the intention to instigate people to take up arms, the report said. The messages on his confiscated phone also revealed that labour unions have been holding meetings since the beginning of April—presumably to plan and execute the violent protests, the report added.
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As per the police, as many as 17 WhatsApp groups associated with the violent unrest in Noida's industrial sectors have been identified so far. The lion's share of those arrested, including a few women, belong to the age group between 25 and 30. 45 of the 66 people arrested in connection with the unrest were not workers, the news report quoted the police team as pointing out. Thus, they suspect a well-coordinated conspiracy to create unrest in the name of a labour movement.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath instructed authorities to identify and take stringent action against non-worker elements found instigating unrest or disrupting "industrial harmony". He also directed that such elements be exposed and, if necessary, their photographs displayed in public places.
The Chief Minister emphasised a "zero tolerance" policy against organisations or individuals inciting workers, spreading rumours, or engaging in misinformation campaigns. He ordered continuous monitoring of social media platforms and swift legal action against those found spreading false information or propaganda. The Chief Minister's remarks come against the backdrop of widespread workers' demonstrations in Noida on Monday.
Several vehicles, including police SUVs, were torched, public property was vandalised, and stone-pelting was reported from across factory hubs in the district.