Karnataka cops rescue 30 illegally confined WB labourers forced to work by gang of eight
India Today
The gang lured the labourers, got them to Bengaluru and made them work in a garment factory without pay. The neighbours heard the victims’ protest and called the police, who rescued them.
Bommanahalli police in Karnataka’s Bengaluru rescued 30 labourers from West Bengal who were illegally confined, tortured and forced to work without pay by a gang of eight.
The accused lured the victims to Bengaluru by offering them jobs in a garment factory with a decent salary, food and accommodation. Police suspect that the accused are agents for industries, probably looking for cheap labour.
The accused lured the group from West Bengal and arrived in the city around 25 days ago. They were put up in a house in Begur Main Road with five to six people sharing a room.
Police, in a statement to The Hindu, said, “Some of them were made to work as tailors at a garment factory, but were not paid. When they demanded salary, the accused gave them evasive answers and even deployed people to guard their rooms to prevent them from escaping.”
On Monday night, some of the victims protested after they were unable to bear the harassment. Following this, they were beaten and thrown out of the room.
Nearby residents who heard the commotion alerted the police control room, who in turn came and rescued the labourers. However, the gang escaped.
Police suspect that the accused were middlemen who supply labour to factories.
