Thousands of Chenab Textile Workers in Kathua Protest Non-Payment of Full Wages

Jammu: Several workers and police personnel were injured in clashes and subsequent cane charge on Friday, when violent protests broke out in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district over non-payment of full wages by Chenab Textile Mills (CTM), officials said.

Police have also detained over two dozen persons in this connection.

A large number of workers came out of CTM and held protests on Friday against the failure of the management to pay full wages to them, they said.

The workers allegedly turned violent and broke furniture, windows and other material and ransacked offices at the mill complex, the officials claimed.

Later, the workers came on the highway and blocked it amid protests sloganeering. Police asked them to disperse to allow the traffic but workers allegedly turned violent after which they clashed with police. Later, the police resorted to cane charge, officials aid.

In the clashes and subsequent cane charge, several workers and cops were injured. Over two dozen workers were detained for allegedly damaging police vehicles and other items, they said.

"Six to seven thousand workers are working at CTM. Their problem is related to payment. They feel payment given to them by management is insufficient. They have misunderstood that (other) staff have been given full payment and they were given very less amount," SSP Kathua Shailendra Kumar told reporters here.

Second, they want to return to their villages, the SSP said.

"We have talked to them and will sit with CTM management to address the issues," he said.

Workers alleged that they were given only Rs2,000 as monthly wage.

"Neither the management is paying us full wages nor they are allowing us to go back to our homes in various states," a worker, Arvind, said.