Mass exodus of labourers continues from Bolangir in Odisha; police hand in gloves? 

From the scenes at the Kantabanji railway station in Bolangir district, it seems migration season has set in this part of the district, notorious for residents leaving the area in search of work outside the state. 

These days, the Kantabanji Railway Station has been unusually crowded. Hundreds of local residents with their children are reportedly migrating to other states in search of work, not knowing what would be their fate, whether they will return alive or not. 

Yet, the burden of feeding empty stomachs has been forcing them to migrate. 

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Even though, illegal trafficking of migrant labourers is rampant, neither police nor any officer of the district administration is there to keep an eye on it. 

Under such circumstances, a photo of Patnagarh IIC Haribandu Gadatia in plain clothes engaging with Sridhar Kumbhar and Sushant Patra, who are infamous as Dadan Sardar (agents/middlemen) is doing rounds in the social media, putting a question mark on the role of the police. 

“A photo has recently gone viral where Patnagarh IIC can be seen interacting with Dadan Sardars at a tea stall. It seems a deal is being finalised among them. The officers of the police and the district administration have considered the migration of labourers as an industry,” alleged Surath Behera, a Kantabanji resident. 

Notably, days ago, Padma Sath lodged a police complaint against Sushant Patra, holding him responsible for her son Maitra Seth’s disappearance. 

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“Sushant Patra is having tea with a police officer. I am a poor woman. Who will bring back my son to me,” said Padma Seth with tears rolling down her cheeks. 

When asked, Sridhar Kumbhar said, “The IIC was not drinking tea with us. Sushant and I were at the tea stall. Then Patnagarh IIC reached there and enquired about a case. Then he left the place.”

The IIC investigating at a tea stall is a bitter pill to swallow for many as he could have summoned them to the police station.

In this regard, no comments were received from the IIC or the labour officer.