Bolangir, Feb 5: In what can be an example of the painful lives the migrant labourers are spending outside the State, a brick kiln owner in Telangana has kept hostage a girl after the death of her father, who worked in his factory as a daily wager.

The brick kiln owner has asked the girl to repay the advance amount her father had taken from him. Though the family has returned Rs 50,000, the kiln proprietor has kept hostage the deceased's daughter for a few paltry amounts.

Meanwhile, the family members, keeping the dead body, have sat on a dharna and demanded immediate arrest of the Sardar and adequate compensation. The Koshal Mukti Morcha, which has stood by the affected family, has threatened to gherao the Belapada block if their demands are not met immediately.

According to the report, Kanhu Mallick and his family members of Sulekela under the Belapada block of Bolangir district had gone to Telangana to earn a livelihood. He was being forced to work past his normal hours and, thus, he fell ill. Still, he was being engaged in work forcefully by the kiln owner. As his condition deteriorated, the kiln owner sent him back home. He succumbed to his ailments a few days after he arrived at his house.

Now, the brick kiln proprietor has kept hostage Kanhu's daughter, demanding money from her and family.

The incident has triggered sharp reactions among the intellectuals.

"It is not understood why people are going outside in search of work where there is no dearth of government schemes. Doesn't it reflect the failure of the BJD government in providing jobs to the youth," wanted to know a resident

He said the issues of migrants moving outside and being tortured in workplaces should be addressed by the Odisha government on a priority basis.

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