Woman held hostage in Karnataka brick kiln rescued

PNS
BALANGIRSita Bhue, wife of a migrant labourer here was finally rescued by the Bengaluru commissionerate police from a brick kiln on Friday.According to reports, Chhabi along with his wife Sita of Admunda village under Gambhariu GP in Belpada block had migrated to the brick kilns of Karnataka two years ago and were working there in the Venkateswar Brick Works at Arsenapali near the Swamiji College, 30 km away from the capital city there.Unable to bear the torture, the husband had escaped in January, but his wife could not as she had been held hostage there.Meanwhile, the desperate husband had appealed to rescue his wife.“I had written to the Action Aid and International Justice Mission (IJM) in Bangalore to rescue the wife of the migrant labour,” Nandi Kishore Sandh of the link workers’ scheme Action Aid said.

The card possessed and shown by the migrant labourer is not a genuine one as it came to light when the members of the IJM cross-checked it and they found it to be the visiting card of elsewhere.“I informed the IJM Bangalore officials to locate the place and rescue her and they were trying to locate her,” informed Umi Daniel of Migration Information Resource Centre, Bhubaneswar.

Even as the Government is making tall claims of providing jobs at the doorstep through its flagship job scheme MGNERGA and others, the poor and economically vulnerable people are migrating in search of greener pastures only to land themselves in the frying pan and facing such harrowing consequences.According to the latest report, the poor woman has been rescued by the Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner while a case has been filed against the brick kiln owner.“Necessary procedural work is going on to release her in accordance with the Bonded Labour Act,” Daniel informed further.When contacted District Labour Officer PK Bhoi said, he is yet to confirm the information on the woman being rescued.

Sudhir Misha, Pioneer News Service, Bolangir, Orissa