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UAE finalising response towards detained workers

DUBAI: The authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are finalising their response towards the 3,147 workers who were detained 10 days ago.

Diplomatic sources told The Hindu, that the Prosecutor General was expected to file his report about the incident before the court later on Monday.

The sources said that it was as yet not clear whether only the “ring leaders” could face prosecution or the entire lot of detained workers would be subjected to legal action.

Of the individuals detained, 1,000 are from Tamil Nadu, 600 from Kerala, 400 from Andhra Pradesh, 300 each from Punjab and Rajasthan, while another 300 are from other states.

The detainees also include 200 Bangladeshis and 15 Pakistanis.

Violence broke out on July 4 in the canteen of a construction company in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, apparently after a few workers complained of poor quality of “sambar” that was being served. The minor scuffle turned into large- scale violence after other workers joined the group. The paramilitary riot police was called in to quell the violence, resulting in the arrests of almost the entire workforce of Al Hamra Construction Company.

The sources said that the UAE authorities were viewing the episode in a “law and order” perspective, and were examining the possibility of a “bigger conspiracy” behind the incident. The sources said that the workers’ action appeared to be spontaneous, rather than the result of planning.

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UAE finalising response towards detained workers

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