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The Hindu: Crime/Labor News

Bonded Laborers Rescued from Karnataka Farm; Officials Act After Tip-Off

BELAGAVI, October 26, 2025, 4:53 PM IST – In a swift operation, authorities rescued four individuals forced into bonded labor on a farm in Lingadakoppa village, Kalaghatagi taluk, Dharwad district, Karnataka. The rescue took place on Saturday following a tip-off alerting officials to the situation.

A joint team comprising officers from the revenue, police, and labour departments, led by the tahasildar, raided the farm owned by Basavaraj Kattimani. They discovered the laborers, all hailing from the Chindwara district of Madhya Pradesh, working under exploitative conditions.

The victims reported being initially recruited for sugarcane harvesting in Maharashtra with an advance payment of ₹5,000 each. They were then allegedly transported to the Lingadakoppa farm where they were forced to work long hours and were forbidden from contacting their families.

A case has been registered under the Bonded Labor System (Abolition) Act, 1976, against Sanjay Kalerama Kavareti, a person from Madhya Pradesh, and Lakshman Sugreeva Jadhav, a person from Maharashtra, accused of bringing the laborers to the farm.

Following the rescue, the officials provided the workers with immediate shelter, food, medical assistance, and ensuring their safety. Plans are underway to facilitate their return to their native village in Madhya Pradesh, with train tickets booked and necessary documentation provided to ensure compensation.

The rescue operation was a collaborative effort involving officials from revenue, police, social welfare, and labour departments, as well as representatives from the Belagavi-based Spandana NGO. The authorities assured full investigation to prevent future occurrences of this heinous crime.

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