3,000 Indian workers released in Dubai

Nearly 3,000 Indian workers, who were detained by the UAE authorities following violent protests in their labour camp earlier this month, have been released and expected to rejoin work, official sources said.

However, eight detainees -- seven Indians and a Bangladeshi -- will remain in custody for their role in the protests over the "poor" quality of food being served to the workers in the camp, the sources said.

The process of release of the workers started last evening from the jails in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the sources told PTI on Thursday.

Around 50 buses of the Ras Al Khaimah-based construction company were waiting outside jails to take the workers back to their work place, the sources added.

The incident occurred on July 4 when workers of Al Hamra Construction in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah went on a rampage while protesting against the poor quality of food at their camp and allegedly thrashed the camp-in-charge and damaged two vehicles of the company.

Later, the riot police were called in who detained all the workers and took them to various jails in the UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah) in 60 vehicles, officials said.

The company officials had told the Indian diplomats they were willing to take back all the workers and also added an overwhelming number of workers were not involved in the incident and had no dispute over working conditions.