16 bonded labourers rescued from Ranjit Nagar

NEW DELHI: In a major breakthrough, a human trafficking and forced bonded labour racket was busted by Delhi Police, and three accused persons were arrested.

A total of 16 bonded labours, including seven minors, were rescued during the entire operation.

Rambilas Paswan (32) and Anita Paswan (26), both residents of Delhi's Ranjit Nagar area, and 27-year-old Suresh Chakma from Unakuti, Tripura were arrested.

On 17 August, in a bid to rescue and eradicate forced bonded labour, the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Patel Nagar conducted a rescue operation in Ranjit Nagar, along with teams from the Revenue Department, Labour Department, Health Department, police staff of Ranjit Nagar, NGOs and officers of Assam and Jharkhand Bhawan.

The raid was conducted at the premises of RB Placement Agency, engaged in providing of domestic helps in Ranjit Nagar. The alleged agency was being operated by Rambilas Paswan, who was not found at the spot during the search operation.

During the raid, seven bonded labourers, including two minors, were rescued.

"All the rescued persons hail from remote areas of Assam, Tripura and Jharkhand. In their statements before the SDM, the rescued persons stated that they were taken to Delhi on the pretext of providing them with good jobs and handsome salaries. Instead, all of them were subjected to severe mental and physical cruelty. They were neither allowed to go outside, nor were they paid any wages," said M S Randhawa, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central.