Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has written a letter to the Punjab government based on a report of Border Security Force (BSF) wherein the force has informed the ministry that they had apprehended 58 Indian nationals from the border areas who were given drugs and forced to work as bonded labourers.
"Border Security Force has informed the ministry that they had apprehended 58 Indian nationals from the border areas of Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Ferozepur and Abohar Punjab in the years 2019 and 2020. During the course of questioning, it emerged that most of them were either mentally challenged or were in a feeble state of mind and have been working as bonded labourers with farmers in border villages of Punjab," the MHA said.
The MHA has further informed that the persons apprehended belong to low-income background and hail from remote areas of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
"It has been further informed that human trafficking syndicates hire such labourers from their native place to work in Punjab on the promise of good salary but after reaching Punjab, they were exploited, paid poorly and meted out inhuman treatment. For making them work for long hours in fields, these labourers are often given drugs, which adversely affect their physical and mental condition," stated the MHA.
The BSF has been handing over the rescued persons to state police for further necessary action.
"Keeping in view the multi-dimensional and overwhelming enormity of the problem, which involves human trafficking, bonded labour and human rights violation, you are requested to look into the matter and take appropriate measures to address this serious problem," MHA has said while asking for action taken report.
( With inputs from ANI )
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