Supporters of Trinamool Congress-led Krishi Jami Raksha Committee, which has been demanding return of 400 acres of project land to the farmers, pelted stones at the workers. The tension was defused after the intervention of police.

Local Trinamool leader Becharam Manna claimed that 80 per cent of workers — labourers and engineers — associated with the project have left the site. “We have asked the remaining 20 per cent to abstain from work,” said Manna. Supporters of the group have asked locals to suspend all transport services.

All autorickshaws and van rickshaws were asked to stay away from the roads so that the outstation workers find it difficult to reach the factory site from Singur station. They have openly warned workers from reporting to work.

According to sources in the state commerce and industry department, the factory employs around 2,400 workers and engineers. Around 400 skilled workers had earlier left the site and around 1,000 workers had left the factory area on Tuesday night.

The Krishi Jami Raksha Committee has put up posters in Bengali and Hindi at the Singur station and neighbouring localities like Khasherberi and Gopalnagar asking workers to abstain from work. They have also launched a constant campaign to prevent people from providing accommodation to workers associated with the car project.