The police on Monday resorted to lathicharge to disperse contract workers of NLC India Ltd. and representatives of various political parties when they blocked traffic on the Four Roads in Vadalur near Neyveli in protest against the reduction in shift duty of the workers attached to Mines I A.
The workers have been on strike since July 12 in protest against reducing the shifts of duty from 26 to 19 in Mine 1 A. The workers have been demanding NLC India Ltd. to revert to the original number of shifts.
On Monday, contract workers attached to Mine 1 A assembled on the Four Roads and blocked traffic. Traffic was disrupted for over three hours because of the protest. Senior police officials rushed to the spot and pacified the workers. However, they refused to budge. Irked by the road blockade, the police caned protesters.