64 Indian labourers rescued from factory in southern Nepal

KATHMANDU: Sixty-four Indians, including 27 minors, who were working in a brick factory in southern Nepal as bonded labourers, have been rescued.

Siraha District Court yesterday freed 64 labourers who were forced to work in Om Brick Industry in Siraha District for the last two months, with the help of the local administration, according to the police.

The Siraha District Court took the initiative to free the Indian nationals from the factory as per the directives of the Supreme Court.

The apex court had issued the directives last week in response to a habeas corpus petition filed by Sewaram of Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh who was among the bonded labourers.

A team led by Durga Bhushal, a district court staff, consisting of Superintendent of Police Bikram Gurung and Chief District Officer of Siraha, Dhruva Prasad Dhakal as members, carried out investigation by visiting the factory before freeing the labourers.

The workers complained that they were not provided with the salary they had been promised earlier and were poorly fed, according to the police.

However, Vijaya Mandal, proprietor of Om Brick Industry denied taking the workers hostage.

"The accusations made by the workers are false and I have paid all the amount to the contractor who supplied me the workers," he told the police during interrogation.

According to the police, Mandal did not allow the workers to return home after the contractor fled with the money paid by him.