Supreme Court Responds to Plea Alleging U.P. Police Acted as ‘Agent Provocateur’ in Noida Workers’ Violence Incident

The Supreme Court has agreed to examine a petition claiming that the Uttar Pradesh government has misused its police force to suppress a legitimate labour protest in Noida. The petitioner alleges that the state aimed to protect corporate interests involved in widespread wage theft by deploying police agents to infiltrate protest groups. Following the arrest of activist Satyam Verma, who was charged under multiple FIRs and the National Security Act, the court issued notices to state and central authorities for their response.

The petition highlights severe concerns regarding the treatment of labour activists, asserting that the state has criminalized legitimate dissent through fabricated legal proceedings. Advocates contend that rather than ensuring fair labor practices, the state has resorted to brutal policing tactics against workers demanding a minimum wage and better working conditions. The previous court hearing underscored the need for safeguarding workers from being labeled as “terrorists” and emphasized the government’s constitutional duty to secure a living wage.

The petition also points to “incontrovertible evidence” that police acted as provocateurs, contributing to the unrest, rather than facilitating peaceful negotiations. It calls for a judicial inquiry to investigate the Uttar Pradesh Police’s role in the events surrounding the protests, and argues that the state’s fragmentation of the protest into multiple FIRs has created a cyclical pattern of arrests. The court has scheduled the next hearing for July 21, 2026, in hopes of addressing these critical issues surrounding workers’ rights and state accountability.