The police issued an appeal to the industrial workforce, urging them to remain vigilant. (File Photo)Days after violence broke out at a protest called by a group of factory workers in Manesar for better wages and working conditions, the police in Gurgaon on Monday arrested six men for allegedly inciting rioting, vandalism, and arson. The arrests coincided with a high-level administrative meeting where industrial units were directed to ensure wage transparency and strict adherence to labour laws to prevent “external elements” from misleading the workforce.The violence on April 9 targeted three separate branches of a private company at Manesar’s Sector-7, said officers.Protesters allegedly caused damage to the firm’s property and government vehicles, assaulted staff, and engaged in stone-pelting against police personnel with the “intent to murder”, officers added.Following an investigation by the Manesar Crime Branch, six “primary conspirators” arrested on Monday were identified as Akash, a resident of Rohtak; Harish Chand, a resident of Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand; Pintu Kumar Yadav, a resident of Madhubani, Bihar; Raju Singh, a resident of Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand; Shyambir, a resident of Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, and Ajit Singh, a resident of Jind, Haryana.Digital evidence, specifically WhatsApp chats, revealed a conspiracy to use petrol bombs to set the industrial units on fire, said police. “The investigation further revealed that most of the arrested individuals are not labourers and have no professional association with the companies in Gurugram. They are accused of infiltrating the strike to incite workers toward violence”, an officer said.In response to the unrest, DCP Manesar Prabina (IPS), SDM Manesar Darshan Yadav, and Labour Commissioner Naveen Kaushik held a meeting on Monday with company owners, representatives, and contractors of the area. The meeting focused on resolving labour grievances and maintaining law and order.Also Read | Noida workers’ protest: Why anger has been simmering in industrial belts in many citiesHere is what has covered by the administration in directives issues to the industrial units:Wage Compliance: Companies and contractors must ensure that all workers receive salaries and honorariums in accordance with government-mandated scales.Transparency: All establishments are required to display government-notified wage information on notice boards outside their premises to provide workers with clear and transparent information. Worker Protection: Management was strictly instructed to ensure no worker is subjected to harassment, mistreatment, or personal victimisation.Rumour Control: Companies were asked to foster a peaceful atmosphere and encourage workers to ignore rumors spread by outsiders.Meanwhile, the police issued an appeal to the industrial workforce, urging them to remain vigilant. “We appeal to all workers not to be misled by non-workers or outsiders who attempt to disrupt the peace for their own motives. If any external element tries to incite you, please inform the police immediately,” it said in a statement.An FIR was registered last week at the Sector 7 IMT Manesar Police Station, and the case remains under active investigation.Story continues below this adFurthermore, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) on Monday submitted a memorandum to the Haryana government, condemning the “police lathi-charge” on protesting workers in Manesar. The union has demanded the immediate release of 55 laborers, including 20 women, who they say were jailed following the demonstration.CITU district president Suresh Nouhra claimed that workers in Manesar were peacefully protesting for a wage hike but the administration chose “the path of lathi-charge” over dialogue. “Cases have been registered against 55 workers, including 20 women, and labour leaders are being issued notices and arrested,” Nouhra said. He added that while the Haryana government recently announced a wage increase following the pressure of the movement, the hike is “insufficient.”The CITU district committee called for the implementation of a minimum monthly wage of at least ₹30,000 to keep pace with inflation, and announced that it would participate in statewide protests on April 16 to demonstrate against the administrative crackdown.Abhimanyu Hazarika is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Gurgaon. He covers southern Haryana. Education - Post-Graduate Diploma in Print Media, Asian College of Journalism (Class of 2020) - B.A. (Hons) Liberal Arts with a major in Political Science, Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts (Class of 2019) Professional Experience Before joining The Indian Express, he worked with Bar & Bench (legal journalism) and Frontline magazine, where he developed experience in court reporting, legal analysis, and long-form investigative features. Reporting Interests His work centres on civic accountability, environmental policy, urban infrastructure and culture, crime and law enforcement, and their intersections with politics and governance in and around Gurgaon. Recent Coverage (2025) - Crime: Reported on the recovery of 350 kg of explosives and an AK-47 from a rented house in Faridabad, linked to the 2025 Red Fort car explosion case (November 11, 2025). - Environmental policy: Covered protests outside a Haryana minister’s residence against a Supreme Court order that environmentalists argue could allow mining and real estate development on large parts of the Aravalli hills (December 21, 2025). - Pollution control measures: Co-authored coverage of the Rekha Gupta government’s enforcement of vehicle restrictions at Delhi-NCR borders (December 21, 2025). - Road safety and infrastructure: Examined response lapses in the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway hit-and-run case and ongoing investigations into high-speed road crimes in Gurugram. - Animal welfare policy: Reported on concerns regarding the low budget allocated for stray dog sterilization by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (November 30, 2025). - Urban culture: Featured the social media-driven popularity of a new Magnolia Bakery outlet in Gurugram (December 15, 2025). 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