Siddarth Sethia
Eighteen bonded labourers,including two children,were rescued from a brick kiln at Bevinahalli village in T. Narasipura taluk of Mysuru district,leading to the arrest of three kiln owners on charges of bonded labour, trafficking,illegal confinement,physical assault and atrocities against Scheduled Tribe members.
The rescue operation was carried out on June 22 by officials of the District Administration,Labour Department,Police, and NGO representatives after receiving information that labourers were being held in bondage and subjected to physical abuse at the kiln.
Based on a complaint lodged by T.Narasipura Tahsildar and Taluk Executive Magistrate Suresh Achari,Bannur police registered an FIR against Mahadeva,Girisha and Yathiraja,the owners of the brick kiln.
The case has been booked under provisions of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act,the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,and various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to the complaint,the authorities received information around noon on June 22 from Srinivas of Madilu NGO regarding a family allegedly being held in bonded labour conditions and facing physical violence at the brick kiln.
Acting on the information,the Tahsildar,Labour Inspector T.P. Lakshmeesha,NGO representatives and Bannur police visited the brick kiln and rescued the victims.
During the inquiry,victim Muttanna,his wife Jyothi and their children Nagesh (13) and Adarsh (9) told officials that they had been working at the kiln for nearly eight years after accepting an advance payment of ₹75,000 from the owners.
Despite working continuously during this period, they alleged that the owners claimed the debt remained unpaid and prevented them from leaving the workplace.
The family stated that they were paid only about ₹1,000 per week and were not allowed to seek employment elsewhere.
They further alleged that their two children were forced to work at the brick kiln before and after school hours, adversely affecting their education, health and overall development.
According to the complaint,the couple had recently fled the kiln and taken shelter near Bannikuppe in Hunsur taluk.
However,after learning of their whereabouts, one of the owners allegedly brought them back to the kiln. The victims alleged that Mahadeva,Girisha and Yathiraja later assaulted the couple.
Officials also found several other labourers working under similar conditions at the kiln.
The rescued workers many of whom belong to Scheduled Tribe communities,have been shifted to temporary accommodation arranged by the district administration.
Authorities are now initiating rehabilitation measures and processing compensation and release certificates for the rescued labourers.
The officials are now probing further and working on rehabilitation of the rescued labourers .
