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8 workers cleared of leading riot in accommodation

They were accused of causing damage worth over Dh287,000 at their labour accommodation.

A group of eight workers (seven Indians and one Nepali) has been cleared on Sunday of the charge of instigating other labourers to riot and vandalise property that resulted in damage worth more than Dh287,000 at their accommodation.
According to prosecution records, the accused, who worked for a contracting company, instigated and took part in an illegal assembling. Their demand was to force the real estate company in whose accommodation they stayed, give them their room keys.
The accused have been cleared by the Court of First Instance of causing damage to several vehicles belonging to their workplace and staff.
The court acquitted them of charges including intentionally causing damage to others' property (office furniture belonging to their accommodation's real estate company), endangering others' security and life, and taking part in illegal assembling.
The case dates back to the evening of January 3 in Jebel Ali.
The security guard at the accommodation, a 25-year-old Egyptian, said that around 7pm, two Indian workers approached him complaining that they lost cash, a golden necklace and coats. However, shortly later, the guard allegedly saw two workers standing in the front line among about 70 workers which later increased to nearly 500.
"I saw them marching in anger. They stormed into the offices and smashed and destroyed furniture and vehicles in the campus with their bare hands, rocks, sticks and iron bars."
A police sergeant said that they were informed about riot acts in a labour accommodation in an industrial area in Jebel Ali.
"We learnt that they were demanding to be given their room keys after some belongings had been stolen," he said.
mary@khaleejtimes.com