Khallikote: As many as 16 labourers from Odisha’s Ganjam district have brought allegations of exploitation and torture by their employers in Dubai, a video released by the stranded workers on social media suggested.
In the video, the workers were seen informing that they had gone to Dubai after being lured by middlemen.
The labourers, natives of Tentulia, Kaithada, and Langaleswar villages in Ganjam district, had gone to Dubai 10 months back to work for a company.
The labourers alleged that two labour contractors from Langaleswar and Bakuti villages took lakhs of rupees from them with the assurance of providing work opportunities in a leading firm based in Dubai. Subsequently, the middlemen sent them to Dubai on tourist visas.
However, after working for the company for some time, their employer allegedly started exploiting and torturing them. They alleged that their salaries are remunerated very late and they get the payment of one month with a delay of nearly 3-4 months. They further accused their employer of giving low-quality food there.
“Sarada Pradhan and Akshaya Pradhan from nearby villages promised us that we would be working in a very good company in Dubai. We gave them Rs 1,10,000 to come to Dubai and work for the company. However, we are working under contractors here. We have not got our salary for the last three months”, one of the stranded labourers said in the video.
Though the labourers have tried desperately to return to India, the company authorities are allegedly not allowing them to do so. The family members of the stranded labourers have lodged FIRs in this regard.
PNN