3 min readRohtakFeb 23, 2026 08:05 PM IST
First published on: Feb 23, 2026 at 06:57 PM IST
A large-scale protest by labourers at a refinery in Haryana’s Panipat turned volatile on Monday after a heated altercation between contract workers and personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) escalated into stone-pelting, leaving the site tense for nearly an hour and a half before the police intervened to stabilise the situation.
The unrest comes amid ongoing construction activity inside the refinery complex, where multiple projects are underway, and an estimated 35,000 to 40,000 workers are engaged through various contractors across different sites.
Workers had earlier announced a coordinated protest over a series of long-pending demands and assembled near Gate No. 4 around 9.30 am, staging a sit-in demonstration. Officials’ attempts to persuade them to disperse failed, and the standoff continued through the day.
What initiated the incident
According to eyewitnesses and on-site sources, tensions escalated sharply around 1 pm when a verbal exchange between some workers and CISF personnel on security duty turned confrontational. A section of the agitating workers allegedly advanced with sticks and resorted to stone-pelting, triggering panic within the project zone and briefly disrupting normal operations inside the facility.
Police teams rushed to the spot soon after receiving information and, along with security forces, worked to contain the flare-up. After sustained efforts, the situation was brought under control, though resentment among the workers persisted.
Rajveer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (City), said the workers had called for a strike over their demands, during which tempers flared. “The police reached the spot promptly and ensured that law and order were maintained. We engaged with the workers’ representatives, who have submitted their demands in writing. The situation is presently peaceful,” he said.
According to Vikas Sharma, PRO of the Panipat Refinery, a verbal altercation broke out over salary-related issues, following which the workers began staging a protest.
The protesting workers have put forward a detailed charter of demands, including strict enforcement of an eight-hour work shift, payment of overtime for extended duty hours, provision of transport facilities from the gate to interior sites, and basic amenities such as functional toilets and canteen services near work zones.
The workers allege that they are being made to work for 12 hours instead of the stipulated 8-hour shift, with little regard for regulated duty timings. They further claim that overtime is neither properly recorded nor compensated in accordance with prescribed norms, prompting them to demand adherence to standard working hours and fair payment for extra duty.
The absence of transport and sanitation facilities, they claim, forces them to walk long distances within the refinery premises, adding to fatigue and dissatisfaction.
Workers further alleged arbitrary wage deductions under the PF and ESI heads without transparent accounting. They also complained of high-handed behaviour by contractors and certain CISF personnel, alleging verbal abuse and threats of termination for resistance or complaints.
While calm has been restored for now, the episode has once again underscored the deep-seated labour grievances simmering at large industrial project sites, raising broader questions about working conditions, contractual employment practices and on-ground grievance redressal mechanisms within critical infrastructure establishments.
Tensions escalated sharply around 1 pm when a verbal exchange between some workers and CISF personnel on security duty turned confrontational at a Panipat refinery. (Express Photo - Manoj Dhaka/Enhanced using Gemini) 
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