Samsung workers arrested by TN police en route to protest site
Police officials who were deployed in Sirumangadu, Echoor and Kunnam junctions arrested the workers while checking for their driving licence and ID cards.
Online Desk
Visuals from the spot (Daily Thanthi)
CHENNAI: In a significant development in the ongoing face-off between the management and workers of Samsung, police arrested several workers while they were en route to the protest site on Thursday morning.
Police officials who were deployed in Sirumangadu, Echoor and Kunnam junctions arrested the workers while checking for their driving licence and ID cards.
The arrested employees are currently held at a private marriage hall.
On Wednesday, the leaders of DMK allies met the employees in solidarity and urged Stalin to intervene in the issue.
Late on Tuesday night, along with hundreds of protesting employees, the police had also arrested CITU state president A Soundararajan and district secretary Muthukumar.
Also Read: Samsung stir: Leaders of DMK allies meet protesting workers, seek CM's intervention
Hours after they were arrested, CPI state secretary R Mutharasan, CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan, VCK president Thol Thirumavalan and Congress leader KV Thangkabalu, along with other leaders, met the employees who were locked in private marriage halls in Sunguvarchathram.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday said Samsung India Electronics has accepted most of the demands of its Sriperumbudur plant workers, who commenced strike on September 9, and reiterated its request that employees resume work immediately.
A key demand of the Samsung workers, registration of their union, backed by the CPI(M) affiliated Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), is, however, yet to be accepted by the authorities.
The ruling DMK yesterday also made an earnest appeal to ally CPM-backed CITU to end the strike in the interest of the thousands of workers there and protect the conducive investment climate of Tamil Nadu.
However, condemning the continous police action against the protestors and leaders backing them, CITU state president A Soundararajan said, "The protest is continuing for 31 days. The police filed fabricated cases against the protestors and arrested 10 employees. The arrests were made to terrorise the remaining employees. The police have no right to remove the tent from the private land. This is police highhandedness."
(With inputs from Bureau & PTI)
