22 Migrant Labourers, Five Children Rescued In Bolangir

Patnagarh: Police on Tuesday rescued 27 migrant labourers from Patnagarh area of Bolangir district while they were reportedly being taken to work in a brick kiln.

The labourers including 12 men, 10 women and five children are stated to be residents of Anakamara area under Khaprakhol police limits. They were rescued from near Juria village last night and subsequently taken to Larambha police station where rural labour inspector Divyashankar Dharua interrogated them.

Divyashankar Dharua, local rural labour inspector clarified that preliminary investigation has revealed that the labourers did not possess identity cards.

After questioning, it came to fore that they were being trafficked to work in a brick kiln in Aska area of Ganjam district by a middleman, identified as Angad Singh of Durkipadar village in Bolangir.

Asked, one of the labourers Dambaru Tandi said, “We were going to Aska to work at a brick kiln as we do not get any employment opportunities to earn livelihood in our native place.”

Police have launched an operation to trace the unauthorised middleman.