Bhubaneswar: Two labourers from Gajapati district were rescued from Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh after they were allegedly subjected to bonded labour and illegally confined by their employer, police said on Tuesday.
The rescued labourers have been identified as Santiel Karado (54) and Gamliel Karado (29), residents of the R. Udayagiri block in Gajapati district.
According to police, both had been working for a businessman in Tirupati for the past five years. However, based on information received from their family members, they were allegedly illegally confined for the past eight days.
The families alleged that during this period, the duo was deprived of adequate food, prevented from contacting relatives, denied their rightful wages, and threatened with continued work without payment in the coming months.
Acting on a complaint, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), R. Udayagiri, Rakesh K. Sahoo, coordinated with Tirupati Police and shared details regarding the victims and their alleged confinement.
Following swift coordination between police teams in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, both labourers were rescued and brought to safety.
Police said Tirupati authorities have been requested to initiate appropriate legal action against those responsible for the alleged exploitation and illegal confinement. Coordination with the Labour Department is also underway.
Efforts will be made in the coming days to identify and rescue other possible bonded labourers from Gajapati district who may be facing similar situations elsewhere in the country.
