Surat police have registered an FIR and begun tracing the source of WhatsApp messages that allegedly threatened arson and violence unless labour union leader Ajay Dubey was released, raising fresh public-safety concerns amid ongoing labour unrest in the city.
The FIR was registered at Saroli police station after constable Jayesh Lallubhai, 38, reported that threatening messages were being circulated on WhatsApp. Police said the accused, identified as Mahesh Singh, allegedly sent messages on Tuesday demanding Dubey’s immediate release.
According to the complaint, one message warned that a matchbox and Rs 150 worth of petrol would be used if Dubey was not released. Police said the messages were intended to create fear and intimidate people, while the FIR records concerns that the threats could endanger property and public safety.
Investigators are examining digital evidence and other material to establish Singh’s role and verify the circumstances in which the messages were circulated. Police have also referred to a recent incident in which a man allegedly set goods on fire at Shyam Sangini Complex while assessing the potential implications of the threats.
The messages surfaced after Dubey was arrested in connection with an extortion case registered at Khatodara police station. Several labour activists were also detained on Thursday, according to the report. The police investigation is examining whether the circulation of the messages was connected to the wider agitation over the arrests and the demand for Dubey’s release.
The case comes as Surat’s industrial and labour areas remain affected by disputes over working conditions, including the demand for Sundays off. In a separate incident linked to the agitation, Amroli police registered an FIR against labourer Nilesh Kashyap after another worker alleged that he was stopped, abused and assaulted for reporting to work on a Sunday.
According to the complaint, Majeet Gautam, 21, was travelling to his unit on Wednesday night after buying vegetables when Kashyap and another person allegedly confronted him over his decision to work on Sunday. Gautam later approached Amroli police and filed a complaint.
The Saroli police investigation into the alleged WhatsApp threats remains underway. Investigators are expected to use the messages and other digital material to determine their origin, verify the accused’s involvement and assess whether further action is required to address risks to public safety and property.
