Noida workers' protest mastermind confesses to crime hours after getting arrested

Key accused Aditya Anand alias Rasti, arrested from Tamil Nadu in the Noida violence case, confessed to his role within hours during police interrogation.

In Short

• Aditya Anand, accused in Noida violence, confesses soon after arrest
• Arrested from Tamil Nadu after long evasion, Rs 1 lakh reward on him
• Anand, a software engineer, planned protest violence systematically

In a significant development in the Noida violence case linked to a workers’ protest, the alleged mastermind, Aditya Anand alias Rasti, confessed to his role in the crime within hours of his arrest. The accused, who carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh, admitted his involvement during police interrogation, according to officials.

A joint team of the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissionerate and the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) arrested Anand from Tiruchirappalli railway station in Tamil Nadu. He had been on the run for a long time and kept changing his location to evade arrest. Police had issued a non-bailable warrant against him and conducted raids across multiple states before tracking him down.

During questioning, Anand accepted his role in the conspiracy behind the violence that broke out during the labour protest in Noida. Police said they will now take him on remand to probe the larger network and examine other aspects of the planned conspiracy.

Investigators revealed that Anand, a software engineer by profession, allegedly orchestrated the plan to turn the workers’ protest into a violent incident. Police claimed he organised provocative activities and executed the events in a systematic and pre-planned manner. A case had already been registered against him under serious charges at Phase-2 police station.

Police are continuing to question the accused to identify other individuals involved and to determine whether any larger network or external links are connected to the case. Authorities are proceeding with further action based on electronic surveillance and technical evidence, while intensifying efforts to locate other suspects.

LABOUR DEPARTMENT LAUNCES CRACKDOWN AFTER PROTESTS

The Labour Department has launched a major crackdown in the industrial areas of Noida following the recent workers’ protest, issuing notices to 43 contractors and cancelling the licences of 10 others for serious violations of labour laws.

The Saturday action comes after inspections across multiple establishments revealed widespread non-compliance. According to Additional Labour Commissioner Rakesh Dwivedi, earlier notices had already been served to several contractors. “Those who failed to make necessary corrections despite prior warnings have now faced strict action,” he said.

The crackdown follows a wave of unrest among workers in Gautam Buddh Nagar’s industrial zones, where contract labourers had recently staged protests demanding fair wages, timely salary payments, and safer working conditions. The agitation had disrupted normal operations and brought attention to long-standing concerns over labour rights.

During the inspection drive, authorities reportedly found issues such as non-payment of minimum wages, lack of proper documentation, and failure to ensure workplace safety standards. The department has made it clear that such violations will not be tolerated going forward.

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