Daijiworld Media Network - Hassan (MS)

Hassan, Dec 11: Though the country is moving progressing towards modernity, the social evil of practice of bonded labour tradition is still active. It is really sad that in spite of several attempts by the administration and social activists, this practice is still prevalent.

It is shocking that bonded labour practice is still followed in the district of Hassan, native place of former PM and JD (S) supremo Deve Gowda. Police have rescued four children, four women and eight men from the clutches of a land lord of Holenarasipura of the district.

According to the police, these 16 people were kept as bonded labourers by Somashekhar, a resident and landlord of Mundanahalli of Holenarasipura taluk of the district. Somashekhar had asked these people to work in the sugarcane fields owned by him. He used to pay pittance to these people and forced them to work for 15 hours a day. Somashekhar and another man named Badya Nayak are in police custody now.

It is said that these poor bonded labourers are of Bhadravati and Tamil Nadu origin. The taluk administration unearthed this human trafficking dragnet and rescued the people. The victims are presently put up in a taluk government hostel.