The Kitex group of companies has said it will extend all support to the police inquiry into the violent incidents on Saturday night in which a police vehicle was burned, another damaged and several police personnel were injured.
“The group will support all police follow-up action to punish the guilty,” said managing director of the Kitex group Sabu M. Jacob here on Sunday.
He said the violence unleashed by a group of workers was coincidental and those trying to politicise the incident were part of a group working against the company. He said an inquiry should be made into who supplied intoxicating materials to the workers from other States as he expressed his suspicion that those involved in the violence might have used these substances.
The Kitex group will not support any law-breakers and that the police verification certificates were compulsory for all those working in the company from outside the State.
He said less than 40 workers from other States were involved in Christmas celebrations on Saturday night. When carols were sung about 9 a.m., a group of workers complained about the disturbances. An argument followed between the groups. Private security personnel, who tried to stop the altercation, were not successful as the group attacked them. The police was called in but the police personnel were also attacked.
A company spokesperson said the inquiry was aimed at finding out what happened at the spot of the incident, using eye-witness accounts as well as video recordings available. There are around 1,200 employees in a hostel near the incident site.
The company was in the news early this year after it complained of repeated inspections at its factory sites by various government departments.
Meanwhile, the departments of labour and industries said the incident had been taken note of. Since the incident was basically one of law and order, it would monitor the developments before launching any action.
