Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Jun 18: Twelve people from Andhra Pradesh who were made to work as bonded labourers in City Armed Reserve (CAR) quarters in Bengaluru were rescued by Revenue Department and the jurisdictional police teams.

On Sunday, June 16, the teams in a joint operation raided the police quarters at Adugodi and rescued the labourers who were doing construction work since two-and-a-half months without pay.

The labourers told police that a person named Gopal had brought them from Andhra Pradesh for constriction work on CAR grounds. Gopal had paid advance money to the families of the labourers. However, since the time they were employed, they were not paid salaries. They were made to stay in makeshift houses near the construction site and were given groceries every week.

The raid was led by revenue officer Maruthi Prasad, who received a tip-off from social workers. The 12 rescued labourers were among 15 working at the site.

Certificates have been issued to the labourers, which will take care of their further rehabilitation.

Adugodi police are investigating the case and are currently tracking Gopal, to find leads on who assigned him to supply labourers.

A case is registered under section 374 (unlawful compulsory labour), 344 (wrongful confinement) and section 370 (buying or disposing of any person as a slave) of the IPC and other provisions of bonded labour system (abolition) act.