Berhampur: Police have registered a case against an employer for allegedly taking away a 15-year-old boy after he had been rescued from bonded labour and handed over to his family following the Ganjam district administration’s intervention.The child was rescued a second time and produced before the child welfare committee (CWC), which later directed that he be reunited with his family. He was handed back to his parents on Wednesday.The action followed a complaint lodged by the child’s mother at K Nuagaon police station on Sept 22. Police registered a case under relevant provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976.“Notice has been served on the employer after registration of the case,” said Biswamitra Harpal, SDPO, Chikiti. He declined to identify the accused, citing the ongoing investigation.During the probe, police found that the child had earlier been rescued, formally recognised as a released bonded labourer and restored to his parents.The case first came to the authorities’ notice after Berhampur sub-collector Avinash Kumar on Aug 31 directed the Chikiti tehsildar, block development officer, local police, labour department officials and Child Helpline to inquire into allegations that two minor boys were engaged in forced labour at a village in Chikiti block.According to the complaint, the children were allegedly made to herd buffaloes, kept in detention-like conditions, overworked and denied wages for nearly two years. Acting on the directions, a joint team of revenue, labour and police officials along with Child Helpline personnel conducted a raid on Sept 1 and rescued the boy before handing him over to his family.The CWC subsequently directed the family to facilitate the child’s education through the open schooling system. District Child Protection Unit and Child Helpline officials were tasked with monitoring his education, rehabilitation and overall well-being.On Sept 10, the sub-collector issued a release certificate under the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, formally recognising him as a released bonded labourer and enabling access to rehabilitation benefits.The parents later alleged that while returning home with the child, the employer forcibly took him away, refused to release him, threatened the family and demanded repayment of an advance allegedly paid earlier.
