Hassan (Karnataka): In a harrowing finding of modern-day slavery, the Karnataka Police and district administration have rescued 18 labourers, including some individuals from Kerala, who were held in illegal captivity at a ginger plantation in Juttanahalli village. The operation was initiated following a missing person's complaint filed by a mother seeking her son, which prompted the Hassan District Collector to order an immediate raid on the premises.

Deception and years of captivity

The rescued workers, some of whom had been trapped in the plantation for up to four years, revealed a calculated system of deception used to lure them into bondage.

Udayan, a native of Puthige in Kasaragod, explained that they were originally recruited under the guise of working in coffee plantations for a daily wage of Rs 700, along with promised food and accommodation. However, once they arrived at the site, their documents and phones were reportedly restricted, and they were forced into the back-breaking work of digging soil in ginger fields instead.

Barbaric living conditions and forced labour

The accounts provided by the survivors paint a picture of extreme cruelty. Labourers were forced to work from 6 am until 8 pm every day without receiving any wages. Basic necessities, including adequate drinking water and decent food, were systematically denied. Udayan informed the media that the workers were kept under constant armed surveillance while being moved to the fields and were locked inside a cramped shed every night to prevent any chance of escape.

Repatriation and legal proceedings

The Hassan Police have commenced the process of sending the rescued labourers back to their respective home towns. Udayan has already been handed over to the Kasaragod district administration for further assistance. Meanwhile, authorities in Hassan have confirmed that they are initiating strict legal proceedings against the plantation owner and the managers responsible for this severe human rights violation.