BENGALURU: In a spurt of violence, garment workers, protesting the new Provident Fund rules, set several vehicles on fire and attacked a police station here on Tuesday. Over 25,000 workers came on to the streets on Tuesday, agitating against the Central government’s amendments to the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) norms.
The spontaneous stir, with no trade union leading it, spun out of control on the second day as protesters went on rampage pelting stones at Hebbagodi police station and torching seized vehicles parked there.
More than 60 policemen and 37 people were injured, while over 100 vehicles were damaged across the city by violent mobs. The police arrested 116 rioters.
Two people, including a 19-year-old girl student, sustained what is suspected to be bullet injuries in the violence.
Both are undergoing treatment at Sparsh Hospital on Hosur Road. The condition of one of them, 47-year-old Manjunathappa, is critical as a sharp object entered and exited his chest leaving his lungs and ribs damaged.
Rioters vandalised government and private properties and set vehicles on fire on Mysuru Road, Hosur Road, Tumakuru Road, Bannerghatta Road and other parts of the city, leading to traffic jams that stretched up to 10 km from morning till evening.
Around 12.30 am, 200-250 protesters barged into the premises of Biocon on Hosur Road, set the security office on fire and damaged ambulances and vehicles of the employees. More than 3,000 employees were evacuated and escorted to safety. Police forces arrived at the spot one-and-a-half hours later.
