The Karnataka government on Saturday announced that it will provide security to Wistron Corporation after its iPhone manufacturing plant in Kolar district of the state was vandalised by disgruntled employees on Saturday. The employees had protested at the plant, stating that they were overworked and had not been paid wages for two months.

Over 1,000 employees gathered to demand their rightful pay outside the plant in Narsapura in Kolar. The employees accused the management of overworking the factory workers and violating norms under the Factories Act. 

Minister for Major and Medium Industries Jagadish Shettar said that the government will give necessary protection to the Taiwanese company in Kolar which was vandalised by its employees.

“We will take stringent measures to prevent such unpleasant events from recurring. We have already spoken with the District Superintendents of Kolar District and the Superintendents of Police and have been instructed to provide the necessary protection,” Jagdish Shettar said.

“The incident at the Wistron plant is unfortunate and unacceptable. The Government is committed to conducting a full and fair investigation into the incident and punish the wrongdoers...The problem could have been resolved if it had been adequately addressed as per law,” he added.

Kolar police said 132 people have been detained in connection with the violence that erupted around 6 am during the morning shift at the plant. Video footage showed a violent group overturning vehicles, setting them on fire, breaking glass windows in the office, leaving a trail of destruction. An FIR has been registered in the case against the mob that vandalised the factory.

Workers alleged that the employees had submitted proposals to the factory management requesting that their wages should be paid on time.