Indian Oil Panipat refinery protest reason: Why are hundreds of labourers demonstrating at IOC Limited in Haryana? Watch video

Hundreds of labourers have been protesting at the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) Refinery in Haryana's Panipat to press for their demands. The protest witnessed a standoff on Monday as a protest by the contract workers escalated into a major clash with security forces, injuring two Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel. The labourers said their key demands included reducing their working hours from 12 hours to eight, payment of overtime for extended shifts, timely payment of wages, provision of essential facilities at the worksite, unjust wage deductions, and poor health and hygiene conditions within the facility.

Key demands of Panipat refinery labourers:

The key demands of protesting Panipat refinery labourers include:


-To fix late salary payments

-No Unjust wage deductions

-Improve poor health and hygiene conditions within the refinery

-Reduce their working hours- from 12 hours to eight-hour shift.

-Payment of overtime for extended shifts and presence of essential facilities

-Basic amenities like a toilet and water near the work site

-Transportation facilities at the work site.

A primary point of contention involved shifts; workers alleged they were paid for eight hours of duty despite regularly working 12-hour shifts.

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Indian Oil Panipat workers' protest

Protests at the Panipat Refinery and Petrochemical Complex at Baholi, about 100 km from the national capital turned violent as the labourers reportedly blocked the route while staging their protest, Tribune reported. Police officials attempted to pacify the demonstrators and urged them to clear the road.

However, tensions escalated when some protesting labourers began pelting stones at the police personnel. In response, the police launched a lathicharge to disperse the crowd.

Protesters allegedly damaged several vehicles and hurled stones at Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, prompting security officials to fire two warning shots in the air to disperse the crowd, which appeared to outnumber the deployed forces. The unrest began around 11 am at the refinery’s main gate, where workers had assembled for a planned demonstration amid heavy police presence.

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According to sources, tensions escalated after security personnel asked the protesters to restrict their agitation to a designated area to ensure refinery operations were not disrupted. Soon after, demonstrators began raising slogans, pelting stones, and vandalising at least two security vehicles. Panipat DSP (City) Rajbir Singh, along with his team, rushed to the spot.

With assistance from the CISF, police eventually brought the situation under control, during which two rounds were fired in the air as a precautionary measure. Inspector Neeraj Kumar, Station House Officer of Panipat Sadar police station, said the warning shots were necessary to restore order. Following the dispersal of the crowd, authorities facilitated a meeting between workers and the refinery management.