Inquiry Into Odia Labourers Held ‘Captive’ In Maharashtra Begins

Bhawanipatna: The district administration of Kalahandi has begun a probe after receiving information about two migrant labourers being allegedly held captive in Maharashtra.

The family members of the victims met Kalahandi SP Battula Gangadhar and informed him about eight workers under Jaipatna police station limits being lured by a local agent, Mohan Dalapati.

The SP told the media that a team has been formed to probe the matter. All the workers were handed over to a labour contractor of Maharashtra, who had allegedly given some advance money to the local labour agent. Then the workers joined a Pune-based fish stroller firm on October 20.  

The family of the victims alleged that six of them escaped after being tortured but they are yet to reach the native place. The remaining two are being held captive by the contractor and firm owner. They further alleged that the contractor threatened the local agent saying unless the advance money is returned, the two migrants will not be released.  

The workers, who have been held captive, are Narottam Sabar (30) of Haramal village and Rupendra Majhi (18) of Brahmani Kenduguda village. Narottam’s wife Pramodini Sabar told the media that after leaving the village, she spoke to her husband once. Since then she had no contact with him.

“Two months have passed and I have not spoke to my husband as his mobile phone is always switched off. His life is under threat,” said Pramodini, adding that she wants her husband back from the clutches of the contractor.

After receiving the complaint, a team of labour officials went to the  village for inquiry. Assistant Labour Commissioner (ALC) of Kalahandi, Pradeep Mohanty said that as per primary investigation, eight persons including the local agent and his nephew along with six workers, had migrated from the region.

However, the agent’s nephew came back a few days ago to Haramal village but the other seven are yet to be traced.  “I spoke to the firm owner, who informed that after working for 15 days, all of them left for Hyderabad without informing him. The owner told me that he lost Rs 1 lakh in the fish business after the workers fled. I was told that there are no workers with him anymore,” the ALC said, adding he tried to contact the local agent but his phone was switched off.

In December 2013, labour contractors and his associates from Kalahandi had chopped off the right palm of two migrants Dialu Nial (30) and Nilambar DhangdaMajhi (28), who had tried to escape from their clutches. On December 24 2016, a local court of Kalahandi had sentenced eight persons to life imprisonment for their involvement in the incident.