From Chains to Freedom: Jharkhand Workers' Harrowing Escape from Forced Labour

In a chilling testament to the enduring brutality of modern slavery, six vulnerable workers from Jharkhand, including a minor, have recounted a harrowing escape from forced labour in a prawn processing unit in Andhra Pradesh. Lured by false promises of respectable wages, their journey for a better life quickly devolved into a nightmare of exploitation, beatings, and alleged police complicity, painting a stark picture of the challenges faced by India’s most marginalized.

Hailing from Sahibganj district, these workers — four men, two women, and a 16-year-old boy — were enticed with the prospect of earning between Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per month at a prawn unit in Kakinada district.

What they found instead was a grim reality: grueling 12-hour shifts, minimal breaks, snatched mobile phones, and a paltry sum of just Rs 2,000 for two months of relentless toil. Deductions for "food" and "accommodation" ensured they remained perpetually indebted, trapped in a vicious cycle of forced labour far from home.

The first glimmer of hope pierced through their despair when Mangal Soren, one of the workers, managed to make a clandestine call home after his phone was temporarily returned.

His desperate plea reached his family, who immediately alerted the Sahibganj Labour Superintendent, Anand Kumar, on May 20. Kumar swiftly escalated the matter, contacting authorities in Andhra Pradesh to initiate a rescue operation. On May 21, seizing an opportune moment, the six workers made a daring escape from the unit, believing their ordeal was finally over.

However, their journey to freedom was brutally cut short.

While en route to the railway station, they were intercepted by police from the Kakinada district. Instead of offering aid, the police allegedly sided with the employer. The workers were forcefully taken back to the prawn unit, their phones confiscated, and some were reportedly subjected to beatings.

This shocking turn of events plunged them back into the clutches of their oppressors, amplifying their terror and despair.

Undeterred, another worker, Sanjay Kumar, managed a desperate call to Jharkhand authorities, informing them of their re-capture and the alleged police involvement. This second distress signal ignited a renewed and more urgent effort from the Sahibganj Labour Department.

Anand Kumar intensified his communication with his Andhra Pradesh counterparts and the Railway Protection Force (RPF), pressing for immediate intervention and safe passage for the trapped workers.

The turning point arrived during another desperate escape attempt. With the RPF now alerted and actively searching, the workers managed to slip away once more.

This time, they were found and rescued by the vigilant RPF at Samalkot railway station on May 23. The sight of the RPF personnel must have been a profound relief, marking the true end of their captivity. They were immediately provided with essentials and facilitated onto a train bound for Ranchi, and subsequently, their homes in Sahibganj.

As the workers embark on their journey back to Jharkhand, the immediate relief of freedom is palpable.

Yet, the shadows of their ordeal linger. While the Sahibganj Labour Superintendent confirmed their rescue and travel arrangements, the question of accountability remains. Authorities in Jharkhand are now pushing for an FIR to be registered against the exploitative employer and seeking a thorough investigation into the alleged police complicity in Andhra Pradesh, ensuring that such heinous acts do not go unpunished and that justice is served for these resilient survivors.