- They were employed at a borewell company in Gaya; the owner is accused of seizing their mobile phones, assaulting them, and withholding their wages.
Giridih: Following the intervention of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, eight laborers from the Giridih district of Jharkhand—who had been held captive in Gaya, Bihar—have been rescued. Acting on the Chief Minister’s directives, the Giridih district administration took swift action to ensure the safe return of all the laborers to their homes. They arrived back on Tuesday. All the laborers are residents of various villages within the Harladih Panchayat of the Pirtand block.
According to reports, the eight laborers had traveled to the Gaya district of Bihar in search of employment and a livelihood. They were working for a borewell company located in the Gaya Sadar area. It is alleged that last week, the company owner confiscated their mobile phones, subjected them to physical assault, and stopped paying their wages. The laborers were being held against their will.
Manoj Marandi, the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Pirtand, stated that the matter came to the attention of Chief Minister Hemant Soren after a video featuring the laborers went viral on social media. Despite having their mobile phones seized by the company, the workers managed to record a video of their situation using another device and shared it online. Once the video went viral, the issue reached the administration and the government.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the Chief Minister instructed the Giridih district administration and relevant departments to secure the immediate release of the laborers. The district administration coordinated with the concerned authorities to initiate action. Following this administrative intervention, all eight laborers were rescued and returned to their home region on Tuesday.
The laborers who returned home safely include Sunil Murmu, Sukhu Tudu, Surendra Murmu, Raju Baske, Karmu Tudu, Bablu Marandi, Dinesh Soren, and Ranjeet Murmu. Among them, Sunil Murmu, Sukhu Tudu, Surendra Murmu, Dinesh Soren, and Ranjeet Murmu are residents of Barwadih village. Raju Baske is from Bhelwadih, Karmu Tudu is from Jarkai, and Bablu Marandi is from Shaharpura village.
Local residents expressed relief at the safe return of the workers. BDO Manoj Marandi personally welcomed the workers and made arrangements for them to reach their homes. The workers and their families breathed a sigh of relief as they were reunited after a long time.
