Noida Protest Case: Police Arrest Key Accused Aditya Anand From Tamil Nadu’s Tiruchirappalli

Last Updated:April 19, 2026, 11:03 IST

Aditya Anand, was caught at Tiruchirappalli Railway Station in Tamil Nadu. He had a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head and had been on the run since the protests earlier this week.

The Gautam Buddh Nagar Police and the Special Task Force have arrested the main accused in the violent workers’ protests in Noida.

The accused, identified as Aditya Anand, was caught at Tiruchirappalli Railway Station in Tamil Nadu. He had a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head and had been on the run since the protests earlier this week.

Police said Anand is the alleged mastermind behind the violence linked to a labour movement in the Gautam Buddh Nagar area. A case had been filed against him at the Phase-2 police station, and a non-bailable warrant had been issued by a local court.

What was his role in violence?

According to officials, Anand was involved in planning provocative actions and inciting violence during labour sit-ins and demonstrations. Police teams had been carrying out raids across several states before finally locating and arresting him in Tamil Nadu. Further legal proceedings against him are now underway.

The protests, which took place on Monday and Tuesday, saw several incidents of violence, arson and arrests. Details from the investigation suggest that the unrest was not spontaneous.

What Noida police had said?

Noida Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh said the violence was a “mala fide, internationally organised activity". She named Aditya Anand, Manisha Chauhan and Rupesh Rai as key individuals involved in instigating the unrest.

Police said Rupesh Rai had been travelling across the country since 2018 and Anand since 2020, often appearing at protest sites. Rupesh identified himself as an auto-rickshaw driver, while Anand was unemployed.

Officials said planning for the protests began on March 31 and April 1. On April 9 and 10, WhatsApp groups were created using QR codes. Workers protested on April 10, and on April 11 they were encouraged to block roads.

Even after a peaceful settlement was reached on April 11, inflammatory speeches were allegedly made to provoke workers again. On April 13, workers were mobilised to gather outside the Motherson facility.

Social media links

Police said misinformation played a role in escalating the situation. Two accounts on X were used to spread messages during the protests.

According to the police commissioner, these accounts were being operated from Pakistan using VPNs and had been active for the past three months. An FIR was registered at Sector 20 police station on April 13 in connection with these posts.

The accounts were allegedly run under the names Meer Ilayasi and Ayushi Tiwari.

Arrests and ongoing probe

So far, 62 people have been arrested, including nine individuals linked to arson and others accused of attacking police. Officials said most of those arrested were not labourers, and some had come from outside the region.

Police added that action would be taken under the National Security Act. Central agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau and the Anti-Terrorism Squad, have also joined the investigation.

Authorities said further action will follow as the probe continues.

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