Police and Tata Steel security guards fired in the air after contract labourers, protesting against the alleged slapping of one of their colleagues, torched several vehicles on the company premises here and threw brickbats.
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 Superintendent of Police Navin Kumar Singh told reporters. Labourers then set fire to several vehicles inside the premises and two police jeeps. Dozens of bicycles, motorcycles and an equipment for registering attendance were also damaged by them, DSP P.N. Ram said.
The labourers threw brickbats when the police tried to intervene, Mr. Ram said, adding that the police then fired two to three rounds in the air to quell the mob. Four labourers were injured in the melee.
Tata Steel security guards also fired four rounds in the air, Superintendent of Police (City) Jatin Narwal said. The situation is under control now, Mr. Agarwal said.
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.
