Mysuru: A day after 18 bonded labourers were rescued, Bannur police arrested three brick-kiln owners and remanded them in judicial custody.SP Mallikarjun Baladandi said Mahadeva, Girisha and Yathiraju were booked under provisions of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act-1976, the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Investigation is under way.Preliminary inquiry found the rescued labourers were living at Mahadeva Brick Kiln in Bevinahalli village, T Narasipura taluk, Mysuru district, for the past five years. The case came to light after a couple, who left to work elsewhere, were allegedly brought back to Bevinahalli. Police will also probe allegations that children, though allowed to attend school, were forced to work, the SP told TOI.Cases were registered following a complaint by T Narasipura tahsildar TG Sureshachari. As per the complaint, Madilu NGO activists tipped off the police early Monday and sought the rescue of a family allegedly subjected to illegal confinement, abduction, physical assault and bonded labour at the kiln. A team of officers, including police personnel, visited the spot and rescued the family members from neighbouring Tamil Nadu.The rescued workers told police they worked for years but the owners kept claiming an advance was not repaid and prevented them from leaving to seek other work. They were paid Rs 1,000 per week and their children were made to work before and after school.Meanwhile, health department team, led by Dr Kantharaju AN, DO, food safety & drug administration, Mysuru district, carried out inspection drive outside the Mysuru city limits. The team inspected 23 firms and issued notices to five firms for non-compliance.
