Migrant labourer from Odisha dies in Andhra Pradesh, family alleges murder

A migrant labourer from Odisha's Bolangir district was found dead in Andhra Pradesh under mysterious circumstances, two days after leaving home, on November 23.

The deceased has been identified as Ganesh Sabar, a tribal youth from Solbandh village in the Patnagarh area of Bolangir district.

Reports mentioned that the youth had travelled to Andhra Pradesh to work as bonded labour. He had left for the neighbouring state on November 23 but was found dead by police just two days later outside Tuni railway station, some 90km away from Visakhapatnam.

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Local Government Railway Police (GRP) reported finding the dead body near Tuni station, following which the information was relayed to the deceased’s family in Bolangir.

Reportedly, the body bore multiple injuries and marks leading the family to allege foul play. Subsequently, a formal complaint was filed at the Patnagarh police station.

The mother of the dead youth accused two middlemen from the nearby Pandamunda village of pressuring the youth to work as a bonded labourer and for also having a hand in his alleged murder.

“I rang the sardar (middleman) inquiring about my son’s whereabouts and also informed him that the Railway police had called us to Andhra Pradesh immediately. Although the middlemen did arrive, they brushed away the incident,” alleged the deceased’s mother.

Meanwhile, the dead body of Sabar is yet to arrive at the village where his mother has vowed to bury him.

On November 26, as many as 17 bonded labourers, including 2 children were rescued by police while they were being trafficked from Bolangir’s Larki village.

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Taking note of rising incidents of forced migrant labour, Odisha Deputy CM Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo recently announced the formation of a high-level task force to address the issue.