MIGRANT BALANGIR KID STANDS TO LOSE HAND Friday, 17 January 2014 | PNS | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

MIGRANT BALANGIR KID STANDS TO LOSE HAND

Friday, 17 January 2014 | PNS | BALANGIR | in Bhubaneswar

Hardly has the row over chopping of palms of two migrant labourers of Kalahandi subsided, the report of an injured child migrant labourer of the district, who was attacked by his employer in brick kilns of Karnataka and left seriously injured, has shocked everybody here. The ill-fated boy has received grave injury in hand which may require to be amputated.

According to reports, Sushant Kumbhar (12) of Kadalimunda village in Patnagarh block had migrated along with his parents and family members to Khandeyarnepali in Gulberga district of Karnataka to work in brick kilns. They were taken by two local brokers, Bhutulu Behera and Mohana Meher, from their native place. Initially, the family was paid Rs 2,000 and was assured to be paid Rs15,000 after reaching the

workplace.

However, no money was paid to the migrant family in Karnataka. After working for a few months, they began to face torture at the hands of their employers. Not being able to cope, a few other migrant labourers, who were working with the Balangir family, fled the place.

The kiln owner was forcing ill-fated Sushant and his family to continue to do the hard work there. However, when one day, Sushant refused to oblige, his enraged employer assaulted him with an iron rod and damaged his hand. Even as the victim boy was reeling under pain, he was not provided any treatment.  The district administration of Balangir came to know about the sad plight of Sushant and his kin from some social workers. Later, all the victims were repatriated to the home district.

Sushant’s condition was horrible. He was admitted at the VSS Medical College Hospital at Burla.  “We are going to file a case against the Karnataka brick kiln employer for violating provisions of the Interstate Migrant Workmen Act and the Child Labour Act in this case,” said Balangir District Labour Officer MM Paikray.

Patnagarh SDPO Sunil Kumar Joshi said the family members of the minor lodged a complaint with the police against two middlemen of the Karnataka and another two from Balangir. “We have started a manhunt to nab the two local brokers,” revealed Joshi.