Nuapada: Five labour agents from Nuapada district and neighbouring Chhattisgarh were arrested for alleged illegal trafficking of migrant workers, assault, torture, exploitation and intimidation. They were produced in court Saturday, police said.
The accused have been identified as Nil Kamal Chandrakar, 38, and Mulachan Sabar, 35, of Beltukuri village; Sanoj Lohar, 34, of Pandripani village, both under Nuapada Sadar block; and Santosh Agrawal, 42, of Kendukona village and Anup Agrawal, 47, of Basna village in Mahasamund district of Chhattisgarh.
Nuapada Sub-Divisional Police Officer Khileswar Sahu said during a press conference at Nuapada Sadar police station that other labour agents were also involved in the case and would be arrested soon. According to the police, the case dates back to 2021, when several migrant workers from the Beltukuri police station area were allegedly taken to a brick kiln in Uttar Pradesh af ter being paid advances.
The workers were reportedly subjected to physical and mental torture while working there. They were allegedly beaten for raising objections, made to work for long hours and given inadequate money for food. Unable to endure the alleged exploitation by labour agents and brick kiln owners, the workers returned home out of fear.
However, they were repeatedly threatened with demands to repay the advance money if they failed to complete the brick-making work, police said. In September 2024, two brothers from a family in the Beltukuri police station area were allegedly forcibly taken away and brutally assaulted at Barakothi village near the Baraga da district border. They were also threatened with demands for repayment.
Fearing further attacks, the brothers reportedly left their home and moved outside the state. Following repeated pressure on their family by the alleged labour agents, a complaint was lodged at Beltukuri police station. Acting on the complaint, police arrested the five accused and produced them in court.
Sahu said further arrests would follow and assured that efforts would be made to secure justice for the affected families. Beltukuri police station inspector Ranjan Kumar Nayak and Tarabod outpost officer Binod Bihari Sethi were among those present at the press conference.
