Violence rocks Kolar iPhone factory

Angry workers destroy infrastructure at the Wistron Infocomm iPhone factory in Kolar district on Saturday. Credit: Prajavani

Angry workers destroy infrastructure at the Wistron Infocomm factory in Kolar district on Saturday. Credit: Prajavani

Scores of workers from Wistron Infocomm, the Taiwanese firm which manufactures iPhones for Apple in Kolar district, went on a rampage on Saturday morning over alleged low wages and delayed salaries.

The violence, which resulted in large-scale damage, erupted at 6:30 am in the plant located in Narasapura Industrial Area.

The factory, spread over 43 acres and seen as a flag-bearer of the new wave of investments, had relied on seven private agencies to supply workers.

The incident has prompted the state government to launch an inquiry, and comes against the backdrop of a similar worker unrest that has rocked the road transport corporations.

Sources said that between 2,000 and 5,000 workers came off the night shift on Saturday morning when things took an ugly turn.

In video footage, workers can be seen smashing windows before proceeding to ransack the offices of executives and overturning parked cars. As many as 10 vehicles were vandalised.