Nine Koraput tribal youth kill contractor, land in Pune jail July 15, 2011 10:46:55 PM

Nine Koraput tribal youth kill contractor, land in Pune jail

July 15, 2011 10:46:55 PM

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Nine Koraput tribal youth kill contractor, land in Pune jail

July 15, 2011 10:46:55 PM

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Sudhir Mishra | Balangir

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At least nine tribal youth who had migrated to Pune for work beat their contractor to death after they picked up a brawl with him over payment of wage. They were identified as Bikram Rayta (14), Celia Rayta (16), Gupta Samantha (15), Pitto Samantha (15), Raju Rayta (12), Nuri Majhi (11), Tipru Majhi (12), Saiba Majhi (13) and Baqlli Samantha (15).

According to reports, the tribal youth of Kadojhola, Tandipur, Najha of Chanabada gram panchayat of Dismantapur block in Koraput had migrated to Pune after the labour contractor Bhimsen Samantharay, promised them jobs and `4, 000 per month as salary, nine months ago.

Allured by the promises, the youth had gone to Hadapsar in Pune and started working in a construction site. However, the contractor did not pay the promised sum to the workers. Moreover, the children were not provided regular meals. They were also compelled to do hard and tiresome work in inhospitable work atmosphere. For long eight months, the contractor did not pay them money.

When the youth started demanding their wage, rather than giving them money, the contractor threatened them with dire consequences. Enraged over the behaviour of the contractor, the labourers assaulted him with a wooden stick resulting in the death of the contractor. Next day, another official of the company lodged a complaint with police following which the latter arrested the nine workers. Later they were sent to jail.

According to Bidyut Mahanty, a social activist of Koraput, the youth are currently staying in a juvenile home in Pune. Expressing concern over the incident, another leading social activist Achyut Das said the incidentwas just the tip of the iceberg which speaks volumes about tribal exploitation.

“I have forwarded mail to office of Teres de Homes of Pune where the workers have been put up. CJ George, an official has been requested to look into the matter and take it up with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and State Commission for Protection of Child Right (SCPCR),” Das said, who added that he was planning to send a fact finding team to Pune to ascertain the situation.

Reports further said that the parents of the youths are unaware of the fact that their children are languishing in jail.

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