Over 10 families rescued from bonded labour in Bhiwandi

A group of families from the katkari community in Thane, India, were rescued from bonded labour at a brick kiln, where they were forced to work for meagre wages and subjected to physical abuse. The families were rescued with the help of a welfare organisation and local authorities, and a case has been registered against the kiln owner. The victims were confined to the kiln and survived on a diet of plain rice. The local authorities are now taking action against other brick kilns in the area to prevent further cases of bonded labour.

Strap:

Over 10 families rescued from bonded labour in Bhiwandi

They were forced to work at a brick klin for ₹600 per month as they failed to settle old debts

Byline:

Anamika Gharat

anamika.gharat@htlive.in

Thane

Eight years ago, Manisha Savra, 55, from the katkari community that traditionally works on farmlands, turned to Siddiq Shaikh, 45, a brick kiln owner, as she could not make ends meet given her husband’s joblessness. She accepted Shaikh’s offer to work on farmlands for ₹5,000 a month, with scant knowledge that she was stepping into a cycle of bonded labour.

The five-member Savra family has been toiling for 12 hours a day at Shaikh’s brick kiln, for ₹600 per month. Each time they tried to leave, Shaikh reminded them of their ₹5,000 debt and assaulted the male members.

The Savras’ and 10 other families’ ordeal ended on Tuesday when they were rescued from the Chimbipada klin, on Bhiwandi-Vasai Road, with the help of Shramajeevi Sanghtana, which works for the welfare of tribals, the Bhiwandi tehsildar and the taluka police. The welfare outfit got wind of Shaikh’s wrongs when the latter visited a family in Palghar last month recover an old debt.

Members of the sangathana, accompanied by police, swung into action to track down the obscure klin and rescued the families on Tuesday. While Shaikh is absconding, a case under section 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of IPC and Prevention of Atrocity Act has been registered against the accused, who is a repeated offender.

Hours after the rescue, when HT met the families housed in a tribal shelter in Vasai, they were found reeling from the shock of their circumstances.

The families were confined to the kiln while Shaikh posted security to keep watch. The smallest whimper of protest earned the male members a bout of beating. All of them survived on a bowl of plain rice twice a day that their meagre income could fetch.

Laxmi Savra, 15, was forcibly brought to the kiln in July after her family failed to pay back the ₹8,000 it had borrowed from Shaikh. She was visiting her sister in Jawhar, Palghar district, to look after her new born. Her brother-in-law had borrowed from Shaikh and one day he arrived to recover the dues. “In my brother-in-law’s absence he demanded that my sister pay up. When she could not do so, he grabbed my hand and dragged me into his car with a warning to my sister – ‘If you cannot return the money, your sister will pay it.’ When I tried to resist, he slapped me,” recounted Laxmi.

Shaikh’s second visit last month to the family in Palghar was his undoing.

Since her arrival at the kiln, Laxmi has been cooking for everyone. People were compelled to keep their nose to the grind even if they were sick. “None of us had a day off. Any sign of resistance earned the men a few lashings,” she added.

Manji Savra, 35, and her husband have been working here for a decade, after borrowing ₹2000. Unlike the others, they were not paid and only given a basic ration to live on. “He had employed two men and a woman to keep an eye on us. When I asked to be released from captivity, they demanded the ₹2000. My husband has been brutally assaulted several times,” said Manji.

Another woman Yogita, and her aged father were forcibly brought here in October. When the elderly man saw Shaikh assault other members of the family, he fled 20 days ago, leaving behind Yogita, who was locked away.

Former MLA and founder of Shramjeevi Sanghatana, Vivek Pandit, said, “Their degree of suffering is unimaginable. They were not allowed to visit their village or home even once a year.”

Incidentally, Shaikh was arrested in a similar case earlier but was bailed soon. While the wrongdoing was on barely 80 kms from Bhiwandi city, the local police patil, talathi and tehsildar remained clueless.

Bhiwandi tehsildar Adik Patil said, his office has dispatched a letter to the state government, recommending compensation of ₹30,000 for each family. The revenue department will ensure their Aadhaar cards and bank accounts are created.

“We have already sent notices to all brick kilns to pay their royalties and whoever fails, will have to face law. We have now set up a squad that will conduct surprise checks on kilns in our jurisdiction,” said Patil.

Bhiwandi taluka police have started externment proceedings against Shaikh. DSP P Dhole said, “We have formed a team to nab the accused. Statements of all complainants have been recorded.”

Sources have said Shaikh had faced a molestation case in the past and was known to intimidate victims into changing their statements.