22 victims of bonded labour released facility in Pune

The gates from where the labourers were rescued. Pics/ Vinod Kumar Menon

On 28 June 2019, 22 victims of bonded labour, including 9 children under the age of 18, were released from an agricultural facility on the outskirts of Pune by Appashaheb Saminder, the Tahsildar from Maval Tahsil, under the direction of the Sub Divisional Magistrate. The information on the victims was provided by International Justice Mission (IJM). Members from IJM accompanied the Tahsildar and the labour officers to the site.

A common practice in rural areas and labour intensive industries is the use of debt as bait for cheap or free labour. Many are even lured in with the promise of good payment as job opportunities are scarce.

Several victims, in this case, ended up at the facility for similar reasons and were then trapped for over 8 years. The victims were largely engaged in working at the rice mill, on the sugar cane fields and tending the cows. One of the oldest victims was a 65-year old man!

In December 2018, the Ministry for Labour and Employment released data which stated that 3,13,687 victims of bonded labour had been reported across India, of this 1,404 bonded labourers had been rescued and released in the state of Maharashtra.

Amrit Kaur, a representative of International Justice Mission (IJM), Mumbai, describes, "The victims were made to labour intensively through the day and then had to live locked up on the premises in harsh conditions. They told the police that they had been through much abuse, and so as they walked out of the gates that they had been locked behind for so long, there was an immense sense of relief and freedom. The youngest one to be rescued is a baby girl who is just 4-months old!"
The revenue department handed over release certificates to all the victims on the same evening, following which they were transported safely to secure locations. A potential suspect is under investigation and further inquiry is in process.

Since 2000 IJM India has helped authorities rescue over 15,500 victims of bonded labour and sex trafficking. This resulted in the arrest of over 1,000 criminals and traffickers and 199 convictions. In recent years, there has been significant progress made in addressing human trafficking in India. IJM India has worked together with the government and the judiciary to build awareness on the issue and secure convictions in cases of sex trafficking and bonded labour. In addition, the rehabilitation of victims has been made possible through partnerships that provide support to shelter homes.

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