The management of the Regency Ceramics at Yanam, part of the Pondicherry territory but geographically nearer to Kakinada, has today declared lock out and said it is not in a position to run the factory.

The lock out declaration has raised a question mark over the future of more than 6000 workers working in the factory.

The management said in a statement it would consider the lifting of lockout after the actual losses the company sustained in the last week attacks are estimated. “But, even then there are no hopes of the factory being reopened,” said the statement.

“We are trying to reopen the company’s schools and colleges at least but we don’t know how far that would be possible,” Chairman of the company Mr Naidu said.

The company had suffered heavily after the workers and locals looted the factory resorting to arson at the premises. Factory premises, school and college buses, company vehicles, sheds and offices of the company at Yanam were reduced to ashes in the attacks.

The angered workers resorted to this extreme step after their union leader Mr Muralimohan had died purportedly due to police excesses.

The workers also attacked Mr Chandrasekhar, the company vice chairman and a close relative of Naidu at his residence. He later succumbed to his injuries at a Kakinada hospital.

Naidu alleged he is not in a position even to go to his company as the management has been getting threatening calls. “Even the teachers are terrified to visit the campus. An abnormal situation of tension is still prevailing there,” Naidu said, adding the mayhem and destruction at the company premises was undoubtedly the handiwork of outsiders. (JUBS)