Bhubaneswar: Nabrangpur district administration rescued as many as 20 daily wage earners from the neighbouring state Andhra Pradesh and brought back safely. They had been forced to work as bonded labourers at a prawn farm for the last three months.
According to information, the rescued are residents of Tentulikhunti, Jharigaon and Chandahandi blocks. They were taken to AP to work in a prawn plant by a dealer who promised them to give Rs 500 as daily wages apart from free accommodation and food facilities.
However, the dealer did not keep his words. They were made to work for 12 hours a day at a stretch without payment. Also, they were not allowed to make phone calls to their families. Most importantly, they were locked inside a room after dinner so that they could not flee. They were even forced to work during illness. The prawn farm owner is alleged to have meted out torture on them if they asked for payment.
Family members of the labourers approached the Nabarangpur Labour Department after learning about their kin’s plight.
On a tip-off, the department took prompt action and rescued 20 labourers.
It is learnt from the rescued labourers that five from Nabarangpur and nine labourers from Koraput districts are still held captive by the prawn farm.
