Ahwa, Feb 4 (IANS): A farmer in Malunga village in Maharashtra's Dangs district has allegedly confined 14 tribal labourers after a contractor fled with Rs 7 lakh advance meant for salary of workers.

Families of the labourers who have been confined by the farmer for the past two to three months have sought the Gujarat government's help to rescue them.

Nagin Gavit, former Sarpanch of Manmodi village panchayat told media, "A labour contractor had taken Mota Malunga's 14 labourers to Tamkheda Pawar Vadi village of Maharashtra, for farm work, a few months ago. Once the labourer reached the farmer Yogesh Thengil's farm, the contractor took Rs 7 lakh advance from the farmer in the name of salaries. However, the contractor neither came back to the village, nor returned the advance money to the farmer."

"Since the last two months, confined labourers Sunil Vaghmare, Ushiben, Mohanbhai and others have been calling up their relatives to the village and narrating their plight. They have even told family members that farmer Yogesh is threatening to sell our kidneys to recover Rs 7 lakh advance," said Gavit.

Thengil was unavailable to tell his version. When IANS called on his cell number, a female member of his family said, "Yogesh had left his cell phone at home and had gone out."

Dangs Additional District Collector Padmaraj Gamit told IANS, "Labourers' family members have not complained to him or the authorities, but he came to know about the allegations from media, he will look into the matter, and will take it up with respective authorities to rescue the labourers."