BERHAMPUR: Gajapati police in coordination with Andhra Pradesh Police on Friday rescued five youths who were allegedly being forced to work under bonded labour-like conditions in the neighbouring state’s Bapatla district.
The rescue followed complaints from the families of the five youths, who approached R Udayagiri SDPO Rakesh Kumar Sahoo seeking police intervention. They stated that the youths had left for Andhra after being offered employment. However, when they reached there, they were allegedly taken to an isolated coastal location and engaged in fish-processing work for nearly two months.
The youths were also allegedly subjected to poor working conditions, inadequate food and drinking water, non-payment of wages and constant surveillance. Their families claimed that the employer had taken away their mobile phones.
The SPDO contacted the Andhra Pradesh Police and sought assistance from Bapatla police. A police team was subsequently deployed to locate the youths. Through coordinated efforts between the two police forces, all five were rescued and brought to Gajapati on Friday.
The rescued youths, accompanied by their family members, met SDPO Sahoo and expressed their gratitude. Police are coordinating with their counterparts in AP to initiate legal action against those responsible for the exploitation.