30 arrested for vandalising office of news magazine in Lower Parel

Thirty people, including corporator Kishori Pednekar, were arrested on Thursday for allegedly vandalising the Lower Parel office of The Week news magazine over regularising the services of some workers.

Thirty people, including corporator Kishori Pednekar, were arrested on Thursday for allegedly vandalising the Lower Parel office of The Week news magazine over regularising the services of some workers.

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One person sustained minor injuries and two others were manhandled after the protesters allegedly broke a glass pane, the NM Joshi police said.

According to the police, 38 workers, employed through a job consultant, had been demanding that they be absorbed in the magazine’s service. They were being paid through a consultant.

Vineet Agarwal, additional commissioner of police, central region, said, “While the magazine said some persons were hired by them on contract basis, the employees claim that they are working on permanent basis. The matter is already in the industrial court.”

The two sides had a meeting on Thursday morning. “A senior manager got a bit delayed in going to the conference room. This irked the workers who were accompanied by members of the Bhartiya Kamgar Sena and Pednekar. They forcibly entered his cabin, broke a glass pane and pulled out the telephone connection. A glass piece hit the manager and he sustained minor injuries.”

Certain senior members of the magazine were manhandled as well, the police said.