Angul: The Angul district administration has initiated steps to rescue 14 migrant labourers who are reportedly trapped in Hyderabad.
The administration started working after receiving a letter from one of the labourers who managed to escape from captivity.
Gagan Behera from Bantala in Angul district had sought Collector Manoj Kumar Mohanty’s intervention for the release of his fellow workers.
A man from Bantala had promised 16 workers job at a brick kiln at Kantabanji in Bolangir. They left for Kantabanji January 16. But to the utter surprise of workers, the next day they landed at Poitapali in Hyderabad.
The owner of the brick kiln forced them to work more than the regular duty hours. They were also subjected to mental and physical torture, Gagan mentioned in his letter.
The workers sought permission to go back to their village when the torture became unbearable. Angered by their request, the owner thrashed them black and blue after tying the men up. Food was also denied to them, the letter pointed out.
Gagan, who fell sick due to severe torture, had been admitted to a hospital. He sought the help of a stranger and escaped from the hospital.
PNN