How Guna authorities rescued 47 victims from Bonded labour?

Authorities in Madhya Pradesh's Guna district rescued 47 people from bonded labour on Monday, marking a significant step in the ongoing fight against human trafficking and forced labour, according to a report in The Times of India. The victims, some of whom had been abducted years ago, came from various regions, including Nepal, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, highlighting the widespread nature of the trafficking network.

The district administration launched a raid across the area after 11 suspects were arrested earlier this week for holding 16 mentally challenged individuals and forcing them into hard labour. The captors fled, abandoning their victims at various locations, including farms, bus stops, and highways. The district issued a 24-hour deadline for captors to free all victims, leading to the rescue operation.

District collector’s statement

District Collector Kishore Kumar Kanyal stated, “These people could be long-lost missing persons. Their families might have stopped searching for them. Our goal is to bring them back home with dignity.”

The victims were subjected to a local bondage system called "Rahua" (meaning "stay and eat"), where they were promised food and shelter but were forced into slave labour instead. They worked in cattle sheds, farms, brick kilns, and roadside eateries, often from dawn to night, receiving only leftover food and tattered bedding. Survivors reported constant threats and physical abuse.

A senior police official said, "These individuals were treated worse than livestock. They didn’t know their names or where they were, and they had no connection to the outside world."

Many of the rescued victims had been held captive for years, some for as long as 20 years. The district administration transferred the victims to Apna Ghar Ashram in Shivpuri, a shelter run by an NGO, where they are receiving medical and psychological care.

Survivors shared harrowing stories of how they were lured or kidnapped. One man from Tamil Nadu, who had worked in a hotel, was promised a job and then forced into farm labour for over 12 years. Another man from Nepal was abducted while begging on a highway and trafficked across several states before ending up in Guna. A third victim from Karnataka was drugged and taken while traveling alone, later waking up on a cattle farm with no memory of how he got there.

Police investigating human trafficking network

The arrests and rescues have exposed a dangerous human trafficking network operating across state and national borders. Guna police are actively investigating the ring, focusing on systematic abduction, transport, and forced labour.

“We are tracking leads that suggest a wider network that traffics vulnerable people from across India and beyond,” a police officer said.

This operation is part of a broader crackdown led by the Guna district administration, working in coordination with local police and other government agencies. The authorities are determined to identify and free any remaining victims.

Collector Kanyal emphasized, "We are expanding our efforts to uncover every hidden victim. No one involved in enslaving these people will escape justice. Every victim will be given the chance to reclaim their life.”

Support us to keep independent environmental journalism alive in India.

Keep Reading

The costliest water from Narmada is putting a financial burden on Indore 

Indore’s Ramsar site Sirpur has an STP constructed almost on the lake 

Indore Reviving Historic Lakes to Combat Water Crisis, Hurdles Remain

Indore’s residential society saves Rs 5 lakh a month, through rainwater harvesting

Follow Ground Report on X, Instagram and Facebook for environmental and underreported stories from the margins. Give us feedback on our email id [email protected]. 

Don't forget to Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, Join our community on WhatsApp, and Follow our YouTube Channel for video stories.