Three workers were injured Friday when police opened fire on them to stop violence by employees of a ceramics factory in Yanam, southern India, reported local media.

Yanam is a former French colony belonging to the central region of Puducherry but located in Andhra Pradesh state.

Police said hundreds of workers of Regency Ceramics went on rampage, setting afire parts of the factory and dozens of vehicles nearby.

The trouble began Friday morning when a leader of striking employees died under suspicious circumstances. The employees alleged the leader, Murali Mohan, was one of the 100 people arrested and he died in police custody.