A first-year law student at Delhi University has been arrested in connection with the industrial worker unrest that occurred on April 13 in Noida. Police allege that the student, identified as Yogesh Meena, played a key role in planning and amplifying the protest through social media networks.
Background of the Accused
Yogesh Meena, originally from Rajasthan, is a former candidate for the Delhi University Students' Union president post. He is allegedly associated with the Revolutionary Workers Party of India (RWPI) and Disha Students' Organisation. Meena was detained outside Ramjas College in DU's North Campus around 1 pm on Saturday and later arrested under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 127(2) (wrongful confinement), 109(1) (attempt to murder), 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), and 326(g) (mischief by fire or explosive substance).
Investigation Details
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the incidents of arson and vandalism during the protest stated that they possess substantial digital evidence and communication records, including conversations from the day of the violence. These records establish frequent contact between Meena and Anil Kumar, who was arrested last month under similar BNS sections. In May, counsels Manik Gupta and Puja Sharma, responding to a state affidavit on the investigation, had identified Kumar and sub-inspector Beena as individuals who had infiltrated the 'Richa Global Noida' WhatsApp group to foment trouble. Kumar was described as a DCP's driver, but after his arrest, Additional DCP Swatantra Singh clarified that Kumar was in contractual employment of a central government official in Delhi and had no connection with any Noida police officer.
Role of Social Media
An FIR in the case names 'Richa Global Noida' among eight WhatsApp and Telegram groups used to spread messages fueling the labor agitation. According to police, Meena played a central role in adding Kumar to several WhatsApp groups and encouraging him to circulate provocative messages, audio clips, and posts designed to mobilize workers and intensify anger against authorities and industrial establishments. A senior SIT officer stated, "Meena was the one to spread propaganda against police, create confusion, and portray Anil as the driver of a police official."
Links to Other Accused
The DU student was also allegedly in continuous contact with two Disha Students' Organisation members, Himanshu Thakur and Aakriti Choudhary, both previously arrested for inciting workers. Choudhary, a DU history graduate, has been booked under the National Security Act. The officer added, "Meena is an active member of Disha Students' Organization and linked with RWPI. We found his association with Thakur and Choudhary. On the day of the violence, he posted instigating messages in several groups and asked Anil to do the same."
Impact of the Violence
Police have maintained throughout that the April 13 violence was not spontaneous but the outcome of a coordinated conspiracy aimed at provoking workers and disrupting industrial activity. Police estimate that more than 100 factories suffered damage, with multiple units vandalized and more than 30 vehicles set on fire. Manufacturing operations across several facilities were suspended for days, with losses running into crores of rupees. Police subsequently registered over a dozen FIRs at Phase 2, Sector 63, and other stations, and arrested more than 50 people in the case. Besides Choudhary, a Lucknow-based translator and journalist, Satyam Verma, who writes for the periodical 'Mazdoor Bigul', has been booked under the National Security Act. Investigators have conducted raids across multiple districts and states to identify and apprehend those allegedly involved.
Ongoing Investigation
Police are now examining Meena's mobile phone, social media accounts, and digital records to map the wider network behind the unrest. The SIT continues to probe the conspiracy and gather evidence against all individuals involved in the violence and subsequent damage to property.
