BELAGAVI: Despite enforcing stricter labour laws, several labourers employed in various business establishments are being continuously exploited. It has also come to light that the condition of many of the workers who work in the in hotels and dhabas on the highways has been distressing and these the labourers are found leading a wretched existence to eke out a living without any other choice.
In a heart-wrenching incident reported from an old dhaba near Kittur, a 26-year-old was working like a bonded labourer with his legs chained. What is shocking is the fact that this young man is working as a cook in the dhaba and also serving the customers with his legs chained.
According to police sources, the youth hails from Uttar Pradesh and came to the dhaba in search of a job with many others long ago. The dhaba’s owner chained him, and forced him to allegedly work as a bonded labourer.
“The young worker is from UP and is from a five-member family, and has been working in the dhaba for the last many years. We were unaware of his exploitation by the owner even though we visited the dhaba on several occasions. The labourer is working as a cook and was making rotis in the kitchen. After finding him chained today, we have registered an FIR against the owner,’’ said Police Inspector Sameer Mulla.
He said measures had been taken by the police to free the labourer and ensure a good medical treatment for him. “An investigation was being launched to find out why he was chained by the owner and whether the 70 other people who were working in the same dhaba were being exploited in a similar manner,” said Mulla.
Sources in the dhaba said many of the labourers migrated to this region from North India, particularly Uttar Pradesh, in search of jobs and landed in the dhaba eventually many years ago. With no other source, they have been working in the dhaba for smaller wages and have no other choice but to suffer exploitation in the hands of the owner.