Migrant labourers unhappy with their contractors gathered at Veeranapalya Colony in Amruthahalli on Sunday. Over 500 labourers started protesting, demanding that they be allowed to return to their hometowns, and locked in two representatives of the company they were employed with. They pelted police vehicles that arrived at the spot with stones.
The labourers said they were tired of waiting for their turn to go home and alleged that the contractor was apathetic to their plight and financial situation.
Two police vehicles were damaged in a melee. The police alerted the control room seeking reinforcement. Additional police personnel rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area. “We called in activists who have been interacting with residents of the colony to help defuse the situation. The situation is tense but under control now,” said a police officer.