ALOR SETAR, Jan 12 — A group of Nepalese factory workers in Pokok Sena near here tried to stage a riot last night after getting furious with their employer who allegedly ignored one of their colleagues who was having difficulty breathing.

In the 9pm incident, between 100 and 200 workers gathered in front of the employer’s house, demanding him to take immediate action to help the worker whose breathlessness condition was worsening at the workers’ hostel.

Fearing something untoward might happen, the employer refused to come out to meet the workers, but instead alerted the police.

The Nepalese workers were getting more furious after realising that their friend had died of shortness of breath and were blaming it on the employer.

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However, a team of policemen who arrived at the scene about 20 minutes later, managed to disperse the workers.

Kota Setar Public Order and Traffic chief DSP Mat Akhir Jaafar, when met at the scene, said three of the workers, believed to be their leaders, were arrested. 

“Initial investigation found that the reason the workers acted that way was because there have been three cases of sudden deaths involving the factory workers at the hostel and that the employer did nothing to find out why,” he said.

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He said police would investigate further into the case.

The body of the dead worker was taken to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital for post mortem. — Bernama