3 minutes of readingBombayUpdated: Feb 10, 2026 08:30 pm IST
Seven interstate migrant workers were rescued from bonded labor at a tire manufacturing unit in the MIDC industrial area of Ahilyanagar, where they were apparently confined for months, denied wages and subjected to threats and physical abuse.
Among those rescued was Moti Singh, 16, from Jawaritola village in Korea district of Chhattisgarh. Two months after joining the job, his right hand became trapped in a machine and cut off three of his fingers. The contractor probably only provided basic first aid and covered up the incident.
Once the injury partially healed, Singh was forced to resume heavy lifting work despite his injury. He remains traumatized and could not speak when we contacted him.
Workers in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh said they were recruited by local agents who promised supervisory jobs with monthly salaries of between Rs 18,000 and Rs 21,000. Instead, they were forced to work more than 15 hours a day without pay, and food and lodging were deducted from their supposed salaries. Their mobile phones were confiscated, their movements were restricted and they were locked in narrow rooms at night. Escape attempts were reportedly met with beatings and threats.
The bailout exposed alleged bonded labor practices at a prominent steel auto tire manufacturer.
On January 31, 2026, Dhirendra Pratap Singh, 27, of Sidhi district in Madhya Pradesh and the minor managed to escape. The minor recovered his confiscated phone, sought help online and contacted India Laborline 1800 833 9020, managed by Aajeevika Bureau.
On February 3, the complainants met sub-divisional magistrate Sudhir Patil in Ahilyanagar. Rehabilitation certificates were issued and a joint rescue team comprising officials from the labor department, MIDC police and local revenue officials was formed. The next day, the team raided the factory and rescued five workers still inside.
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An FIR was registered at the MIDC police station against contractor Ganesh Balasaheb Adao and supervisors Rajendra Yadav and Shahbaz Ali Mohammad Shaikh under the Bonded Labor System Abolition Act, 1976 and relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The other rescued workers are Piyush Markam, 23, from Jabalpur; Ravi Gond, 17, from Korea district of Chhattisgarh; Laxman Singh, 38, of Shahdol; Jagat Bahadur, 30, from Korea district of Chhattisgarh and Deepak Rajbhar, 24, from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh.
Lawyer Pratik Pawar, who handled the case, said there were multiple indicators of bonded labour, including non-payment of wages, restriction of movement, confiscation of phones, coercion and forcing an injured minor to continue heavy labour. He said these facts establish bonded labor beyond doubt, justifying action under both the Bonded Labor Act and the BNS.
India Laborline’s Parag Kamble said workers were trapped for months without pay, had their phones taken away and were constantly monitored. He said the case shows how agents lure workers with false promises and hand them over to contractors who exploit them.
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Ahilyanagar labor department officials said compensation of Rs 30,000 for adults and Rs 20,000 for minors has been sanctioned and will be credited once the bank details are received.