Ex MLA seeks help to rescue labourers form Malaysia

Former Gomia MLA Madhav Lal Singh on Tuesday wrote to Union minister for external affairs Sushma Swaraj and CM Raghubar Das seeking their help in rescuing a dozen odd labourers stranded in Malaysia.

Of the 8 labourers sent to Malaysia, 6 are from Gomia, Bokaro and one each from Hazaribagh and Dhanbad, namely Md Sabir Ansari, Baldeo Pandit,Tileshwar Patel, Saurav Kumar,Teklal Mahto,Sarju Mahto one Sanjay Mahto from Hazaribag and other Sanjay Mahto belonging to Dhanbad.

Singh said most of the labourers hail from Bokaro's Chatrochati, region, adjacent to his home constituency in Gomia. "Private companies often lure these villagers to work for foreign companies. The matter remains under wraps unless there is a problem," he said.

Singh said the labourers in Malaysia have neither been able to send money home nor are they being allowed to return. "Some of the family members of these labourers have said that their passports have been confiscated by the employment agency in Malaysia," he said.

In his letter, Singh said the labourers are also being tortured and held captive. "They are stranded for the past 10 months and are not being provided sufficient food," he said.

The families of these labourers are yet to approach the police. Bermo SDPO Subhash Chandra Jatt said he did not any information on any stranded labourers. "We will look into the matter and trace the agency involved in taking the villagers abroad," he said.