Agents chop off migrant labourer's fingers, toes for asking payment

Two middle-men cut the toes and fingers of a 60-year-old man, who had been working at a construction site in Nagpur as a bonded labourer since July this year. The crime was perpetrated when the man, identified as Chamru Paharia, asked for his wages.

Nuapada (Odisha): In a shocking case of brutality, two agents allegedly chopped off fingers and toes of a migrant labourer from Odisha in Maharashtra’s Nagpur recently.

The victim is identified as Chamru Paharia of Tikirapada village of Nuapada district of Odisha who had gone to Nagpur with two middlemen Dala Satnami and Bideshi Sunani in July 2019. The incident came to light after the family members of the worker filed a complaint in this regard with the Komna Police station following the victim’s return.

The crime was perpetrated when Chamru Paharia, asked for his wages. The middle-men not only refused to pay him wages, but also thrashed Chamru, and chopped off three fingers from his right hand and all five toes from his right leg with a sharp weapon. Then they dumped him on the railway station.

He was rescued by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) in Nagpur railway station in a very critical condition. The RPF then sent him back to his village after treatment.

"I had no money so both the agents took me to Nagpur for work. I worked there and when I asked for money they chopped off my fingers," alleged Praharia.

"We have lodged a complaint with the police. Police should bring both culprits here," Tularam Paharia, son of Chamaru Paharia said.

Human rights activist Rabi Mangraj demanded that the culprit should be arrested soon and the victim should get Rs 10 lakh compensation.

The exploitation of migrant labourers is not new in the Western part of Odisha. Every year lakhs of laborers migrate in search of work due to poverty and lack of employment guarantees in the region.

In December 2013, a labour contractor chopped off the hands of two migrant laborers. Both laborers Nilamber Dhangada Majhi and Bialu Nial were residents of Kalahandi district. This incident took place in Bolangir district. Both of them had taken advance money from the contractor and later they refused to migrate.

Meanwhile, the SP of Bolangir and the SP of Nuapada district have initiated a drive to catch the labour agents who are luring the innocent poor labours and taking them outside for work without proper registration. SP Nuapada district Binit Agrawal informed that they have detained 16 unauthorised labour contractors in the district till now.