Rourkela, Oct. 16: Family members of the workers of the Orind Refractory, producing kiln for various blast furnaces across the state, today blocked the National Highway 23 near Lathikota protesting against the arrest of its 224 labourers.

The NH-23 connects Chas in Jharkhand with the village of Nuahata at the intersection of NH-42.

The district administration swung into action and rushed to the spot. Police were deployed at the spot to avoid any untoward incident.

Protesting against their arrest, all the 224 labourers today launched a hunger strike in jail. Three of them reportedly fell ill and were admitted to the jail hospital. The workers of the company started agitation on Thursday after it denied them their dues. The agitation was led by Biramitrapur legislator George Tirkey.

On Friday, the police arrested nearly 400 workers. Later, the police released all the children and women. After a local court rejected their bail pleas, the police, however, sent the labourers to the jail for a 14 days remand.

“Our husbands and family members should be immediately released. How can we live if our husband or family members remain confined in the jail? If the police continue to keep them in jail, we are also ready to go to the jail,” said a woman activist.

The workers also alleged that they had not received their salaries in the last 14 months. “We want the company to immediately release our dues,” said a worker.

The workers alleged that while they were demanding their dues, the company authorities tried to slap various cases against them with the connivance of the police. “All the cases should be immediately withdrawn,” demanded a protester.