JOIN USWith the help of an NGO, the Birur Police on Tuesday rescued five people who were victims of human trafficking and were working on a borewell, at K Chattanahalli in Tarikere taluk.
The rescued victims are from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
It was said that Sanjay of Madhya Pradesh had sold seven youths including a minor after taking Rs 10,000 each to Manoj, with a promise to offer a job in a solar firm in Karnataka.
They were first taken to Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh and were later sent to Karnataka. Having realised that they were cheated, two youths namely Mangal and Ramdas had escaped and returned to their native. On reaching their native, they had complained to Jansahayog, an NGO and had appealed to rescue the remaining five youths. After accepting the complaint, the NGO had sought help from the International Justice Mission in New Delhi, who in turn contacted Vikasana Seva Samsthe in Tarikere.
Labourer Subhash Parate's brother Mishri has filed a complaint with the Birur Police Station.
The police have taken two drivers, a cook and a bore driller in custody while rescuing the youths.
The rescued youths are Rameshwara (23) of Maharashtra, Santhosh (30), Rajpal (22), Subhash (22), Lalazallar (18) of Madhya Pradesh.
Speaking to DH, victim Subhash said: "We were harassed and made to work for the last four months. We were not given food properly and made to work 24 hours. We have not taken a bath nor changed our clothes. Our mobile phones were snatched. We did not have a hope of reaching our family."
All the rescued victims were produced before Assistant Commissioner B B Saroja. The police have registered a case under IPC section 370, 374, Bonded Labour System Abolition Act Section 16, 7 and 8.