DERGAON, June 19 - The Dhansiri Subdivisional police administration in Golaghat district rescued 19 �bonded� labourers from a house at Baruagaon under Ghiladhari police station (PS) in the district on Tuesday evening.
Following the FIR lodged in Barpathar PS in Golaghat district regarding the missing of Simanta Hazarika, the police team led by the subdivisional police officer (SDPO) of Dhansiri, Pranjal Bora along with the police officials from Barpathar and Ghiladhari PS started an operation, in which a total of 19 labourers, including a woman, were found to have been held by the landlord Ananda Bora at his Baruagaon residence. A case has been registered at Ghiladhari PS in this connection and Maina Bora, the son of Ananda Bora, was picked up for interrogation.
The labourers who were rescued are Bitu Saikia of Titabar, Akash Gogoi of Dhemaji, Bijoy Tanti of Furkating, Ramesh Chand Tanti of Rajabari, Mohan Bhokta of Salmara, Juti Tanti of Furkating, Momai of Rangajan, Gobin Bauri of Sonari, Lal Mirdha of Rangajan, Prakash of Padumoni, Munu Kachari of Jorhat, Dharmeswar of Sarupathar, Sumit of Merapani, Mithu Tanti of Sonari, Moinul of Dimapur, Bilium of Chungajan, Ranjit Phukan of Barpathar, Omar Pharook of Nagaon and Simanta Hazarika of Barpathar.
Like a �zamindar�, Ananda Bora allegedly captured the labourers from different areas in and out side the district and forcefully engaged them in his paddy fields. The labourers alleged that they were captured by the �mafias� of Ananda from different places in different ways and handed over to the landlord. The landlord allegedly engaged them in his paddy cultivation of as many as 500 bighas of land. But they were not paid. The mafias collected the money from the landlord.
The Golaghat Superintendent of Police Pushparaj Singh told this correspondent that the rescued labourers were produced before Golaghat court on Wednesday for recording of their statements.
�One person has been detained for interrogation�, Singh said. Residents in Ghiladhari area have demanded the immediate arrest of the landlord.
