A man from Kaub village in Chamoli district (Uttarakhand) was freed from bonded labor in Punjab after enduring 15 years of forced work.
In 2008, the young man left home following a family dispute and lost all contact with his relatives. Unknown to his family, he was held at a cattle shed in Dinewal village, Tarn Taran district where he was made to tend cattle under exploitative conditions receiving little to no wages and suffering restricted freedom.
His condition came to light when members of the Ratan Dev Society, a social organization in Punjab recorded a video of him living in deplorable conditions. The video went viral on social media prompting swift intervention by Garhwal (Uttarakhand) MP Anil Baluni who immediately contacted Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria. The governor instructed the state’s Director General of Police to deploy the Tarn Taran district police who located and rescued the victim within hours. Officials from Uttarakhand, including Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Chamoli District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari coordinated with Punjab authorities and arranged for the young man’s safe return home.
An FIR was filed against the cattle shed owner under sections of India’s Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita dealing with trafficking and compulsory labor. The accused now faces severe legal penalties, including long-term imprisonment. Administrative officials from Uttarakhand traveled to Punjab to facilitate the reunion, and the rescued man was handed over to his emotional mother and sister, who had been waiting for his return for years.
This case highlights the crucial role of social media and civil society in exposing bonded labor, as well as the effectiveness of prompt political and administrative action. It also underscores the ongoing challenge of bonded labor in India and the importance of enforcing laws such as the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, to protect vulnerable individuals and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
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