2012 Maruti factory violence case: Gurgaon court convicts 31, acquits 117

NEW DELHI: After nearly five years of trial, a Gurgaon court in Haryana today convicted 31 people and acquitted 117 other in the deadly 2012 Maruti Suzuki factory violence case, in which a manager was set on fire by a mob.

The quantum of punishment will be announced later today.

In a deadly riot at India's biggest carmaker's factory in Manesar in 2012, a mob had destroyed the factory's property, set parts of the factory on fire and human resources manager Awanish Kumar Dev was burned to death. Fifty management personnel and nine police officers were also injured during the clashes.

After the riots, nearly 150 workers were arrested for doing criminal conspiracy and murder. The plant, which has manufacturing facility of 550,000 cars per year, was shut for a month.

The riots began after a heated debate over disciplinary issue with an employee went out of control. The disagreements between the workers and the management soon turned bloody.

Workers were reportedly protesting against what they called unfavourable working conditions. The workers' union had accused Maruti of "anti-worker and anti-union activities."

"Armed with iron rods and door beams of cars, the mob spread out in groups in the factory area and targeted supervisors, managers and executives... rendering many of their victims bleeding and unconscious," Maruti had said in a statement.

Maruti Suzuki India Limited