Three bonded labourers freed from West Bengal cold storage facility

Three men have been freed from bonded labour at a cold storage facility in Alipurduar district, West Bengal, in a rescue operation that has renewed focus on trafficking networks operating across the state's industrial zones.

The victims were engaged by local contractors originating from the Sundarbans region after receiving advance payments, according to labour department officials. Upon arrival at the workplace, the workers found themselves in conditions of forced labour, receiving wages substantially below statutory minimums while their freedom of movement was severely curtailed.

The rescue operation uncovered a pattern commonly associated with bonded labour schemes in which contractors advance money to economically vulnerable workers, then use debt bondage to trap them in exploitative work arrangements. The cold storage sector, which operates primarily in border districts like Alipurduar, has emerged as a recurring site of such labour violations.

The rescued workers have been provided immediate support and counselling through labour welfare authorities. Investigations are underway to identify and prosecute the contractors involved in the illegal arrangement. Labour department officials have pledged enhanced monitoring of cold storage facilities and other industrial units in the region to prevent further trafficking incidents.