Ill labourer killed for failing to work

CHANDIGARH: A 40-year-old “bonded labour” was allegedly killed by his employers for failing to turn up for work due to prolonged illness in Mansa district. The accused are still on the run.
A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered under the Boha police station on the basis of a complaint filed by Paramjit Kaur, the wife of the labourer Sardara Singh.
The man behind the registration of the complaint Jagsir Singh, the general secretary of the Dalit Dastan Virodhi Andolan, told The Times of India over lack of sufficient action on Monday, “Though an FIR has been registered, yet the police have not invoked sections related to victimization of an SC and bonded labour”.
Station House Officer (SHO) of the Boha police station Harvinder Pal Singh, when contacted, told The Times of India, “A case of murder, criminal trespass and group rioting has been registered on the basis of the complaint but the matter is still under investigation and post mortem report is awaited.”
The SHO said the complaint had not sought invocation of the bonded labour and SC and ST atrocities act.
Paramjit Kaur has alleged that Sarjit Singh, his son Bhola Singh, Bhura Singh, Mithu Singh and 10 or 12 other unidentified persons allegedly threw her and her three children out from their house at Gaddhar Patti village in Mansa district before dragging her husband along with them on February 1. They locked two rooms of their house and filled fodder in one room which did not have doors. As a result, the entire family had to spend nights under the open sky.
Three days later, she got information that her husband was in Budladha civil hospital, where he died.
The woman said the land lords had beaten up her husband in front of the entire village.
She said the land lord had hired her husband Sardara Singh for a year for Rs 50,000 but after six months, he fell ill and could not continue the work.
Enraged over Sardara’s refusal to work, the land lord demanded return of Rs 40,000 as his dues. He was neither in a position to resume work due to illness, nor immediately pay the money back, she said.