New Delhi: Days after a violent protest by workers brought Noida to a standstill, a joint team of Noida Police and the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) arrested the alleged mastermind from Tamil Nadu. Aditya Anand was apprehended from Tiruchirappalli Railway Station on Saturday, he was carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh.

According to investigators, Anand, an engineering graduate from the National Institute of Technology Jamshedpur, left a career in the IT sector and became active among workers, allegedly building a network over time.

Presented as reporter to gain access

According to reports, he initially presented himself as a reporter associated with a magazine and a YouTube channel, which helped him gain access to labour groups and build trust. Under the pretext of covering workers’ issues, he remained in close contact with them and is suspected to have mobilised support through platforms such as Mazdoor Bigul.

The STF has also flagged a series of meetings held between March 30 and April 1, preceding the violence on April 13, at a rented accommodation in Sector 37’s Arun Vihar. Members linked to groups including Mazdoor Bigul, Disha Student Organisation, Naujawan Bharat Sabha and Ekta Sangharsh Samiti are believed to have attended these meetings.

Investigators allege that Anand became increasingly active in Noida’s industrial areas between April 9 and 10, addressing workers and encouraging mobilisation ahead of the protest. Videos circulating on social media show him speaking to a crowd on the day the violence broke out.

Anand went absconding after violence

After the incident, Anand went absconding and frequently changed locations to evade arrest. He is being interrogated by the STF over the involvement of other individuals and the to trace possible funding sources.

The workers’ protest which initially sparked by demands for higher wages and better working brought the industrial areas in the city, including Greater Noida and Noida Sector 62, brought the units to a halt.

The Uttar Pradesh government, the next day, increased the minimum wages for the workers by 20-21 per cent effectively from April 1.