Noida Police hunt key suspect Aditya Anand in factory violence case, say he incited workers, two others held, probe finds Pakistan‑based X accounts used to fuel unrest
When the news broke about the chaos at the Motherson facility, I was sipping chai on my balcony and watching the live feed on my phone. It felt like one of those "breaking news" moments that you just can’t ignore. The police in Noida have launched a massive search operation to nab Aditya Anand, the prime conspirator in the Noida violence.
According to sources close to the investigation, Aditya Anand changed his appearance before fleeing from the police arrest. It is believed that Aditya Anand is one of the key suspects who instigated the protesting workers by delivering hateful speech. As of now, a search operation has been launched to nab Aditya Anand. Earlier, police nabbed two other accused in the case Manisha Chauhan and Rupesh Rai.
In a statement released by the Noida Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh, "The violence that occurred in Noida was a mala fide, internationally organised activity. The names of Manisha Chauhan, Rupesh Rai, and Aditya Anand have surfaced in connection with inciting the violence." This comment caught people’s attention and added a layer of seriousness to what was already a volatile situation.
Rupesh Rai has been continuously travelling across the country since 2018, and Aditya Anand since 2020; wherever any agitation takes place, they are present there. Rupesh Rai identifies himself as an auto‑rickshaw driver, while Aditya Anand is unemployed, Noida CP said.
It was through their instigation that the workers were mobilised to gather in front of the Motherson facility on the day of the protest. Rupesh Rai was apprehended on April 11, and Manisha Chauhan was also arrested; Aditya Anand remains absconding at large. After the protest had been brought under control, misinformation was disseminated via two social media (X) accounts.
‘X Accounts Used To Instigate Workers Were Being Operated From Pakistan’
During the protest, workers were observed viewing these specific posts on X. An FIR regarding this matter was registered at the Sector 20 Police Station on the very same day. The investigation has revealed that both of these X handles are being operated from Pakistan, Noida CP added.
VPNs were utilised by these entities, and the accounts have been operating from Pakistan for the past three months. There are certain elements intent on destabilising the industrial sectors. A database was utilised to incite the workers via social media. Thirteen cases have been registered, involving the aforementioned social media accounts," she added.
According to police, so far 62 arrests have been made; this includes 9 individuals involved in arson, as well as members of the mob that attacked the police. The majority of those arrested are not labourers. Some individuals involved in this violence had arrived from outside the region, police said, adding that action will be initiated under the National Security Act (NSA).
During the investigation it was found that the two X handles were allegedly operated under the names Meer Ilayasi and Ayushi Tiwari, officials said.
According to sources, central agencies including the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Anti‑Terrorism Squad (ATS) have also joined the probe, with both handles said to have been active for the past three months. This involvement of top‑level agencies shows just how seriously the government is taking the matter, especially as it has become part of the trending news India is following.
Why the Focus on Social Media and Foreign Involvement?
What happened next is interesting the police didn’t just stop at the arrests. They dug deeper into the digital footprints of Meer Ilayasi and Ayushi Tiwari, tracing the IP addresses back to servers located in Pakistan. This discovery fed into the narrative that foreign actors might be trying to fuel unrest in India’s industrial heartland.
Many people were surprised by this angle because usually we hear about local grievances, not about cross‑border cyber‑operations. The fact that VPNs were used to mask the real location makes the case a bit more complicated. It also reflects the growing trend of how viral news spreads across borders, often faster than the police can respond.
In most cases, the workers say they were angry about wages and working conditions, but the timing of the posts on X suggests a coordinated effort. This has led to speculation that the messages were part of a larger campaign to destabilise the sector, something that aligns with the recent India updates about digital security threats.
Impact on the Local Community and Industry
On the ground, families of the workers are still trying to make sense of what went down. My neighbour in Sector 20 told me that the whole neighbourhood was on edge for days. Shops were closed, and people stayed indoors because they feared another outbreak of violence.
The factory itself has been shut for a while, and the management is facing pressure from both the workers’ unions and the authorities. The incident has become a case study for how industrial disputes can quickly turn into security concerns, especially when social media is used as a catalyst.
As I chatted with a local shopkeeper, he mentioned that the incident has become part of the “latest news India” feed on his phone. He said, "We now check every post before sharing because we don’t want to become part of the problem." This reflects a wider awareness among the public about the power of misinformation.
Legal Proceedings and Future Steps
Legal experts say that the cases filed under the National Security Act could lead to long jail terms for anyone found guilty of inciting violence. The prosecution is likely to use the digital evidence from the X accounts as a key part of its case against the alleged conspirators.
Aditya Anand’s whereabouts remain unknown, but the police have issued a lookout notice and are asking anyone with information to come forward. The chase for Aditya Anand continues to dominate the headlines, making it a staple of breaking news across many Indian media portals.
The involvement of central agencies like IB and ATS also means that the investigation will probably extend beyond Noida, looking at whether similar tactics have been used in other industrial hubs. This could set a precedent for how future cases of labour‑related unrest are handled in India.
All in all, the Noida incident serves as a reminder that behind every headline whether it’s trending news India or viral news on social platforms there are real people, real consequences, and a complex web of factors at play.
