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Three mill workers killed in police firing

Three men were killed and two others injured when the police opened fire to disperse mill workers near Dharuhera, in Rewari district last night.

Rewari deputy commissioner Navraj Sandhu said the police had to open fire when workers belonging to the Pashupati Weaving and Spinning Mill at Kapriwas, near Dharuhera, in the district, turned violent.

However, union leaders alleged that five persons were killed in the police firing last evening and about 100 persons were injured following police lathi-charge on the mill workers this morning.

Sandhu said the police had arrested about 150 workers on charges of breach of peace, arson and rioting.

Reports said that about 1,800 mill workers were on a ''go-slow'' agitation since February last demanding a hike in wages.

The reports said the workers became angrier after the mill management allegedly suspended eight union leaders last evening. In an effort to get them to disperse, the police later opened fire on the workers.

The reports said that after the police firing killed three of them, the agitated workers blocked the Delhi-Jaipur highway that passes through Dharuhera. The blockade continued for about 12 hours till this morning when the police resorted to a baton-charge to clear the highway. Several workers were injured in the attack.

UNI

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