Voter data theft: Workers met police over unpaid salaries

Bengaluru: Workers of Veecrew, the firm hired by Chilume Educational and Rural Development Institute to conduct illegal house surveys and electoral revision work in one ward in Bengaluru, had approached Mahadevapura police on November 10 seeking help in getting their salaries released. They had also told police that they were mapping homes in the city.Initially, workers planned to file a formal complaint, but police said they would mediate with their employer. Police then summoned a representative of the company and insisted that he clear pending salaries. Eight workers had mapped homes in Garudacharpalya ward but they were not paid for the work. They were promised Rs 15,000/month and Rs 1,000 incentive to map properties in each booth. Thirty-six booths were surveyed. Munikrishna BM and seven others who worked for Veecrew said police were aware of what they were doing. “We planned to file a complaint but police said it is a labour issue and advised mediation,” Munikrishna told TOI. “We had also told police that the company had recruited us to conduct house surveys and that we were told that we were working for BBMP.” Munikrishna said police were also informed that they (workers) were not allowed to meet BBMP officials. A Mahadevapura police inspector confirmed that these workers had met the station sub-inspector regarding their pending salary but were sent back as it was a labour issue. “I do not know about other issues they claim to have raised,” he told TOI.