CEO Killed by Mob of Ex-Employees

Lalit Kishor Chaudhary, 44, CEO of Graziano India Pvt Ltd, an Italy-based multinational, was beaten to death by a mob of ex-employees in Greater Noida, India while trying to resolve a dispute between them and management. After being attacked by the mob with hammers and sticks, Chaudhary was rushed to Greater Noida's Kailash Hospital, but the doctors there declared him dead on arrival. According to Senior Superintendent of Police R K Chaturvedi as the clash erupted, a security guard opened fire in air. Click here for TV coverage.

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Six months before this incident some employees of Graziano had demanded salary hikes and permanent status and staged a sit-in at the gate of the company. During the unrest some of the protesters vandalized the company. Graziano India Pvt Ltd responded by dismissing over 250  people. The case was taken up by the Indian Labour Commissioner, who ordered the company to take them back.

On the Monday following the Commissioner's decision, some of the fired employees returned to work and got into a heated argument with the management staff. Things got out of hand and the returning employees went on a rampage. CEO Chaudhary, realizing there was a problem, went outside in order to calm things down:

Chaudhary, eyewitnesses said, tried to broker peace but some workers allegedly hit him from behind with hammers and sticks. "I was working inside when I heard a noise. I went to see what was happening. Before I could react, I was hit with sticks and rods by a mob. I have a leg fracture and head injuries," said Amarpal, a staffer. "Around 250 people barged in, snatched the stick from me and started beating me," said Hriday Anand, a security guard.

In their defense the dismissed workers claimed that they were verbally abused and made to apologize when they went to rejoin the company.

"This is false. Such behaviour was the reason for their dismissal. They did the same thing today," said K C Jain, director of the Graziano board.

Sixty-three people have been arrested. The violence left at least 50 executives and workers injured. Of the 44 staffers taken to hospital, 34 of them were yet to be discharged Monday night. Of these, 10 executives of the company remained in the intensive care unit.

Graziano officials complained about the slow response from the police. Security personnel and some other employees were forced to shut themselves up in the plant while waiting for the police to arrive. They said that hours after all the violence had subsided only about half a dozen Provincial Armed Constabulary personnel were posted outside and there was no officer with them. Which meant that, in case of an emergency, there was nobody there to order any action.

Police officers were not available for comment, until 9.45pm, when area superintendent of police, Babu Ram, claimed:

"We had sent force within 15 minutes of getting information. Later, we also arrested 63 persons for murder, rioting and other charges. We had even earlier received a note from the Italian Embassy about trouble at Graziano."

The plant, a 100% subsidiary of Graziano Italy, specializes in making gears and transmission systems for vehicles. It was set up in 1998 and commenced commercial production in 2000. The CEO L K Chaudhury had been in charge of the company for the last 10 years , he is survived by a wife and a son.