Bonded Labour in Jammu: Kidnapped man rescued after son raises alarm
Sumit Sharma. Updated: 1/4/2025 1:11:33 AM
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Jammu: Even 49 years after Parliament passed the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, the practice still exists in Jammu. The incident came to limelight in Jammu’s Greater Kailash area when a group of four persons kidnapped an aged man with the intention to kill him.
He was, however, rescued by the police team which faced tough resistance as the abductors were joined by a group of their companions.
During investigation police came to know that the abducted person owed debt and became their bonded labour. The accused persons kidnapped him after his son raised an objection.
Ram Kewal of Kaluchak, took some amount as a loan from the group of four persons during his teen age and eventually became their bounded labour just to pay his debt off. The man stepped in at his elder age but the debt was still there.
They later called his son Akash Kumar and forced him to clear his father’s debt. On 2 January 2025, the son raised an objection. His objection got the accused fumigated, they kidnapped his father and took him to some unknown place. His son rushed to the police and narrated the tale of the incident.
On the basis of the complaint, a police team rushed to their hideout and rescued the abducted man. The accused have been identified as Panku Sharma, Narinder Sharma alias Mansho Sharma, Ram Sharma and Mantu, all are residents of Gangyal.
Police have also booked them in a case vide FIR No. 0001/2025 u/s 140(1), 333, 3(5) BNS at Police Station Gangyal. “The arrests of the accused persons are yet to be made effective”, said a police officer when contacted.