Lalit Kishore Chaudhury, chief executive officer of the Italian car parts firm Graziano Trasmissioni India, was allegedly beaten to death Monday at the plant site in the Greater Noida industrial zone outside New Delhi during a violent protest, police said.

A riot ensued during a meeting with former employees to resolve a dispute concerning the firing of about 200 workers, the Financial Times reported. The protesters overpowered security guards and attacked Chaudhury and his staff, the report said. At least 20 people were injured.

Expressing shock over the incident, the Italian government said the company for several months has been facing violent forms of protest "by self-proclaimed workers' representatives," the report said.

Chaudhury had been with the company for about 10 years. Police said 13 people have been charged with murder.