Noida Workers’ Protest Escalates, Vehicles Torched, Over 300 Held

Uttar Pradesh, 15 April 2026: A large-scale labour protest in Noida spiralled into violence on April 13, after workers across nearly 80 factories in Phase 2 and Sector 63 downed tools, demanding a minimum wage of Rs 20,000 and fixed eight-hour shifts.

The agitation, which began as a coordinated halt in production, escalated through the day, with incidents of stone-pelting, vandalism inside factory premises, and arson targeting both police and private vehicles. Visuals from the ground showed damaged units and burnt vehicles, as law enforcement moved in to disperse crowds using tear gas.

According to officials, more than 300 people have been detained in connection with the violence. No fatalities have been reported so far.

At the centre of the unrest is a long-standing wage issue. Workers claim that salaries have remained stagnant for years despite rising living costs, prompting the demand for a revised minimum pay structure and regulated working hours.

The Uttar Pradesh government responded on April 14 with an interim wage revision, raising minimum wages for unskilled workers to Rs 13,690, an increase of around 21 per cent. The move appears aimed at immediate de-escalation, even as it falls short of the Rs 20,000 demand raised by workers.

Authorities have also announced the formation of a committee to examine long-term solutions, including wage restructuring and labour conditions. Alongside this, officials have indicated that the role of “outsiders” in triggering the violence is being investigated, an angle that often surfaces in protests of this scale.

For now, industrial activity in parts of Noida remains disrupted, with a visible security presence across key sectors. While the situation is under control, the episode has once again brought into focus the widening gap between industrial growth and ground-level labour realities in one of North India’s biggest manufacturing hubs.