A file photo of RIL’s petrochemical plant in Jamnagar. (Source: Reuters photo) A file photo of RIL’s petrochemical plant in Jamnagar. (Source: Reuters photo)

Violence broke out inside the refinery complex of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) in Jamnagar, Gujarat, Thursday after the death of a labourer, which the company said was due to cardiac arrest. The rioters torched vehicles and resorted to stone-pelting, forcing police to lob teargas shells and fire in the air.

The trouble began after a labourer died in the residential area inside the refinery complex near Kanalus village. “There was a rumour that he died in a road accident. As a result, a large number of labourers started damaging vehicles,” Parimal Nathwani, group president (corporate affairs) of Reliance, said.

“After the situation went out of the local security’s hand, police were called, Police fired teargas shells and fired in the air to disperse the crowd,” he added.

Jamnagar SP Pradip Shejul said the situation was brought under control by late evening. “We had to lob around 25 shells of teargas and fire six rounds in the air to disperse the mob. The situation has been brought under control but property damage is high, according to primary reports. We have called firefighters to douse vehicles which were set on fire,” Shejul said.

Two policemen were injured in the stone-pelting by rioters. There were reports that some rioters had been injured. Police said that prima facie it appeared that the labourer had not died in any accident. “It appears to be a death due to natural causes or suicide. But we are waiting for his post mortem report to know the exact cause of his death,” said the SP.

The RIL complex at Moti Khavdi village in Jamnagar is the largest oil refinery in the world. It is a high- security installation and is protected by the Central Industrial Security Force.

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