Migrant workers employed at a unit of SS Hyderabad Biryani, a chain restaurant in Chennai, staged a protest alleging non-payment of their salaries for the month of March, leading to the police using mild force in Royapuram in the early hours of Tuesday (April 7, 2026).
The workers also accused the management of assaulting employees who had posted videos on social media highlighting the issue.
SS Hyderabad Biryani operates 31 outlets across the city, with its head office located on Church Street in Royapuram. A large number of workers from north Indian States are employed across its branches.
According to sources, the workers were not paid their salaries for the month of March. Tension escalated when employees questioned the management over the pending salary, resulting in a dispute. In protest, some workers released videos on social media criticising the management, which soon went viral.
Following this, four workers who had posted the videos were allegedly called to the Royapuram head office by the outlet manager, Khaleel Ahmed, for talks on Monday (April 6) night. During the meeting, the workers were reportedly assaulted by members of the management.
