'Assaulted, Starved & Overworked in Captivity': NHRC Acts on Heart-Wrenching Bonded Labour Atrocities in UP Factory

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken strong note of shocking reports of 12 bonded labourers allegedly held captive, assaulted, and forced to work long hours without adequate food or wages for nearly 18 months at a paper plate manufacturing factory in Mandi village, Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh.

Acting on a media report published on June 25, the Commission has issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP), seeking a detailed report on the incident within two weeks. It has also directed the Muzaffarnagar District Magistrate to conduct a thorough inquiry following the Standard Operating Procedure of the Ministry of Labour and Employment and provisions of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976.

According to the reports, one labourer managed to escape from the factory and lodged a complaint at the Titawi Police Station, which led to the rescue of the remaining workers. Medical examinations revealed that the victims suffered multiple injuries, including bruises, cuts, fractures, and clear signs of prolonged physical abuse. Police investigations are underway, with reports indicating that at least one person has died in the incident. Authorities are probing whether there were additional deaths.

The labourers, who hailed from various states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand, as well as a few from Nepal, were allegedly lured with false promises of employment, regular wages, food, and accommodation. They were reportedly picked up from railway stations, bus stands, and other public places. Once at the factory, their mobile phones and identity documents were confiscated, isolating them from their families. Pit bull dogs were allegedly deployed to instil fear and prevent any escape attempts.

The NHRC observed that, if the allegations are true, the incident constitutes a grave violation of human rights. The Commission has also instructed immediate registration of the rescued labourers on the e-Shram Portal, in line with its Advisory 2.0 issued on December 8, 2021.

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