Odia migrant labourer escapes from torture in Maharashtra

60-year-old Chamru Paharia's fingers were chopped off by labour agents when he asked for his wages.
Chamru Paharia | Express
Chamru Paharia | Express

NUAPADA/SAMBALPUR : In yet another case of inhuman torture that the migrant labourers are subjected to, a villager’s fingers were chopped off by labour agents when he asked for his wages in Maharashtra. Fortunately, he managed to survive the brutal act and reached his village to reveal his ordeal.

The 60-year-old villager, Chamru Paharia of Tikrapada in Nuapada district, used to live with his only son, daughter-in-law and grand-daughter. According to villagers, the family did not have any agriculture land and was leading a frugal life depending on the income of Chamru’s son who was a daily wager. Some time back, Chamru’s son shifted to Golabandh along with his wife and daughter leaving Chamru to fend for himself alone in the village.

Meanwhile, two labour agents, Dolamani Satnami (35) and Bidesi Sunani (30) of Tikrapada lured Chamru to work as a construction worker in Maharashtra. As Chamru agreed to their offer, they took him to Nagpur during Rath Yatra this year. Nearly one and a half months back, when Chamru asked the two middlemen for his wages, they did not pay him.

In a heated argument, Chamru accused the two of duping him following which Satnami and Sunani chopped five fingers of his right feet and also tried to cut off fingers of his right hand. But Chamru lost sense and they stopped after chopping three fingers. The duo then dumped an unconscious Chamru near Nagpur railway station.

The RPF personnel spotted Chamru near the railway tracks and admitted him in Nagpur city hospital. Though they tried to contact his son and acquaintances after being informed by Chamru, they failed. Last week, Chamru somehow came out of the hospital and reached the railway station where some people helped him buy a ticket for his village. 

On Friday, Chamru got down at Harishankar Road station in Balangir which is close to his village. While he was trying to seek help from the people there, a samiti member of his village Tofan Dalpati identified him and took him to the village. But on reaching Tikrapada, Chamru refused to get treatment fearing that the associates of Satnami and Sunani might harm him.

On Saturday, some media persons came to know about the incident and informed Nuapada MLA Rajendra Dholakia who visited Chamru’s home and offered him all possible assistance. Dholakia gave him Rs 1000 and asked the villagers to get him treated at Komna CHC. The MLA also assured of trying to get financial assistance from Chief Minister’s relief fund for Chamru.

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