Bhubaneswar: A group of laborers from Odisha, who were allegedly assaulted at Renaatus Company in the Maldives, have appealed to the Odisha government for help in rescuing them.
Some of the workers have shared videos on social media, urging for assistance.
According to reports, 15 workers from the Khallikote area, along with over 40 others from Odisha, had gone to the Maldives about six months ago to support their families. They were paid their salaries for the first month, but after that, the company stopped paying them. When they demanded their wages, they were allegedly assaulted.
The workers also claim that the company cut off the electricity in their rooms and made it difficult for them to get food. In the video, the workers can be seen expressing their distress.
One of the laborers said, “We are working at Renaatus Company, and the agent, Kishor Barik, from Patrapur village, took 35,000 to 40,000 rupees from each of us to send us here for work. We have faced many problems since arriving. While we received one payment on time, the others have been delayed, and when we go to the office to ask for our money, they threaten us. If anyone tries to take action, they assault us and even cut off the electricity in our rooms. We are now forced to spend our own money to buy food, as the company is not providing for us.”
In the video, another laborer pleads, “Please help us and send us back safely to our village.”
Another worker added, “We spoke to our village Sarpanch, who advised us to post this video on social media. He also promised to take the matter to the labor commission department with our family members and file a complaint.”
