Palgar:

Nineteen police officers were injured and 12 of their vehicles damaged when they tried to control the attack on steel company workers by more than 100 union members here in Maharashtra, an official said on Sunday. .

Police have so far arrested 27 people in connection with the incident which happened on Saturday at the company’s factory premises located in an industrial zone in Boisar town, Palghar district, they said.

Reinforced security has been deployed on the premises. The situation there is tense but under control, Palghar police spokesman Sachin Navadkar said.

A union issue had been ongoing at the company for a long time, the official said, without giving details of the case.

On Saturday, several union members stormed into the factory and allegedly began beating employees and managers and also ransacked the premises, he said.

A police team rushed there, he said, adding that the crowd then allegedly hit security personnel with rocks.

Nineteen police officers were injured and the windows of 12 police jeeps were smashed by the crowd, he said.

Police have so far arrested 27 people and registered a case against them under various sections of the ICC, including attempted murder, riot and criminal conspiracy, the official said.