Saharanpur Bonded Labour Crisis: Children Expose Exploitation

Saharanpur Bonded Labour Crisis: Children Rescued from a Life of Slavery

In Part 1 of our investigation into India’s bonded labour crisis, we showed how our exposé led to the rescue of 46 bonded labourers from Moga, in Punjab. Many of those rescued were traced back to a little-known village in Uttar Pradesh—Banhera Khas, located in the Saharanpur district.

When we arrived in Banhera Khas, we were met with grim revelations. Local residents spoke of a pattern of trafficking that had ensnared hundreds from the area, sending them into forced labour across various parts of the country. But nothing prepared us for what we saw next—an encounter with a group of children who had only recently been rescued from bonded labour.

These children, some as young as six, shared harrowing experiences of being forced to work in brick kilns, without wages and without hope.

“We Worked, But Were Never Paid”

Ridhima (name changed), just 11 years old, told The Probe, “We did not get paid for the work we did.”

Janaki (name changed), 15, recalled that even her younger sister, only six years old, had been made to work. “She used to separate the bricks,” Janaki said, her voice trembling.

Jyoti (name changed) and Asha (name changed), both under the age of 10, shared how they spent long hours arranging and separating bricks instead of going to school. “My elder sister taught me the work,” Jyoti said softly. Asha, who is just eight, said she laid bricks and separated them, too.

One of the boys, Harish (name changed), recounted his daily tasks. “I used to separate and arrange the bricks,” he said.

Shanti (name changed), another rescued child, told us, “I used to arrange the bricks and also separate them. We asked the owner for money, but he did not pay us.”

“We Want to Study… But We Can’t”

As the children spoke, many began to cry. The trauma of forced labour at such tender ages was written all over their faces. Despite their freedom, the scars remain—and so do the circumstances that pushed them into this form of modern-day slavery.

“I want to study,” said Janaki, breaking down during the interview. “But I have to go with my parents [to work].”

When asked what made her cry, Ridhima responded, “We used to work so much, but we still did not get paid.” She too, dreams of going to school but finds herself stuck in a harsh cycle of poverty and labour.

The sorrow these children carry is not just a personal burden—it’s an indictment of a broken system. In Banhera Khas village in Saharanpur, bonded labour is not just a story of exploitation. It is a deeply entrenched crisis that robs children of their future and families of their dignity.

Rescued Child Bonded Labourers Speak of Abuse, Threats and Deprivation

As we moved deeper into the village, more families came forward to share their experiences. What began as a few isolated stories soon unfolded into a chilling pattern of child exploitation. Children—some barely in their teens—recounted harrowing tales of bonded labour and abuse, revealing the extent of bonded labour practices in the region.

Among them was 13-year-old Ananth (name changed) from Saharanpur who was trafficked to Punjab where he was forced to work in a brick kiln for over a year and a half. "They rescued us from there," he said, referring to his eventual escape from bondage last year. According to Ananth, the owner of the brick kiln, Lekh Ram, made them work long hours without paying any wages. “I used to arrange 3,000 to 3,500 bricks a day,” he recalled.

Beside him sat 9-year-old Rashmi (name changed), who had also worked at the same kiln. "I used to separate the bricks and do brick setting," she said. Rashmi said she had never attended school because, as she claimed, the kiln owner forbade it. "He told me I was not allowed to go to school," she added.

The stories didn’t end there. As the conversations deepened, the children revealed more disturbing experiences—accounts of physical violence and threats. Rashmi, her voice trembling, said, “He used to beat us. If we asked for money, he would hit us and say, ‘You already got paid once, that should be enough.’” She added that she was often slapped on her cheeks and was too afraid to tell her mother. “I feared that if I told my mom, a fight would break out,” she said.

Eight-year-old Sunil (name changed) quietly nodded when asked if he too had been beaten. He said he worked separating bricks and endured the same treatment from the owner.

These accounts were echoed by adults who had worked alongside the children. Sonia (name changed), one of the rescued bonded labourers, described a life of grinding exploitation. "There were six of us—three children and three adults. Together, we made around 30,000 to 35,000 bricks a month, but all of us got a collective sum of Rs. 3,000," she said. “That was the total amount for all of us.”

Sonia said that even when workers fell ill, the owner refused to provide any money. "He would threaten us and say, ‘I gave you money once—how can I keep giving you more?’" she said. She identified the owner as Lekh Ram and alleged that he used violence to suppress any resistance. “Once, when we questioned him about electricity charges he was deducting, he assaulted me. When we tried to complain to the police, he bribed the police. The officials didn’t investigate and we were left frightened,” she said.

"We Will Shoot You and Dump Your Bodies"

The threats, Sonia alleged, extended to their children. "He told our kids, ‘If your parents go anywhere, we will shoot you and dump your bodies,’” she said.

When asked what led them into such conditions, Sonia broke down in tears. “My children don’t even have a proper house. Water seeps from the roof, and we’re constantly worried. We have no jobs and the little money we earned was taken by the owner. That’s why we’re appealing for help—to get our money back and build a safe home for our kids.”

Despite the severity of the allegations, Sonia claimed that the owner, Lekh Ram, remains free. "He’s not in jail. He has power—we don’t," she said. “Even now, many people are still working for him the same way we did.”

"We Made Our Children Work to Repay Debts"

In Saharanpur, the hidden crisis of bonded labour continued to unravel as we spoke to more people. Sonia's husband Parvinder recalled the punishing conditions he endured under captivity. “I worked for 18 hours but did not get any money,” he said. Parvinder admitted he was forced to involve his children in the work to repay debts. However, even when the family believed the debt had been cleared, they were not released. “We tried to escape, but we could not,” he said.

He explained why leaving was so difficult. “There was one main gate, and everything was secured by it. There were cameras as well,” he said. Parvinder added, “Even if someone passed by that place in the morning, the security would find out where they went. The gate was always closed. There was no way to leave with our children.”

Parvinder alleged that the brick kiln supervisors maintained constant surveillance and a closed environment to prevent escapes. “I’ve never seen such ruthless employers like them,” he said, describing the high-security measures they were subjected to.

Parvinder’s brother, Satyender, shared a similar experience. His family—including his wife and five children—had taken an advance of Rs 35,000 from the brick kiln owner in Ludhiana, Punjab, binding them to forced labour. “We were seven people working. Together, we would make bricks worth Rs 3,000 to 4,000 per day. But we received no salary,” he said.

According to Satyender, they worked for a year and a half before being rescued last year. “Seven families were with us, and around 60 to 70 families were working there in total,” he said. Despite their rescue, Satyender said the family received no assistance from the government. “We got no help. No job, no support,” he said.

"Many Villagers are Missing"

Both brothers presented records of their work, documenting the number of bricks made day after day. But the most disturbing revelation came when they spoke of their village Banhera Khas where the problem of bonded labour remains deeply rooted. “Many people have been rescued from Banhera Khas but many more are still missing—workers who left and never came back. Families are still searching for answers.”

Another survivor, Salim, said he and his family were held captive after accepting an advance of just Rs 10,000. “They gave us ten thousand and made us work for free in a brick kiln in Rohtak in Haryana,” he said. When asked why they continued working despite no pay, Salim explained, “They told us they would kill us if we didn’t. They forced us to work and promised to pay later. But we never got anything.”

Salim and his family—five in total—eventually escaped through the forest at night. “We ran away one by one in the dark,” he said. “We were beaten up the first time we tried to run.”

Sanya who also worked with Salim in the Rohtak brick kiln said the labourers were forced to work under constant surveillance. “They kept waking up at night to check if we had escaped,” Sanya said. “We were under constant watch.”

Salim described how they eventually fled around 1 AM. “We escaped slowly, one by one, so no one would see us. If we were caught, we would have been beaten badly,” he said. “We didn’t even have money for food or rent. We would have died there.”

Salim named the individuals responsible: “The contractor’s name is Ehsaan. He and his wife worked with the kiln owner, Bobby, to keep us trapped.”

Debt Trap at the Brick Kiln: Families Enslaved for as Little as ₹5,000

For many labourers like Gulfam, bondage begins with a meagre sum—just ₹5,000—offered as an advance, but in reality, it marks the start of a harrowing cycle of unpaid labour, coercion, and suffering. Gulfam was lured to Loni in Uttar Pradesh to work at a brick kiln named Pappu Bricks. The contractor, Mathlu, and the supervisor, Ramesh Munim, handed him an advance of ₹5,000 for himself, his wife, and his young son Armaan. In exchange, all three of them were forced to work for six months without receiving a single rupee.

“We worked for half a year without any pay,” said Gulfam. “My wife was pregnant at the time. When it was time for delivery, they took her to the hospital, but didn’t allow me to go. There were guards stationed to ensure we didn’t escape—at least ten of them—and CCTV cameras everywhere.”

 Though India abolished bonded labour through the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act of 1976, the practice remains deeply embedded in many parts of the country. According to social activist Nirmal Gorana, the system's failure lies in the complicity and apathy of enforcement agencies.

“These labourers are confined inside walls, guarded by men, watched by CCTV cameras. They’re not allowed to step out, not even for medical emergencies or funerals,” said Gorana, who is the convenor of the National Campaign Committee for Eradication of Bonded Labour. “Even if the area isn’t physically locked, the fact that the labourers can’t leave or are working against their will makes it bonded labour. It doesn’t matter if there are no chains—the force is psychological, economic, and institutional.”

Gorana referred to a landmark 1982 Supreme Court judgment by Justice P.N. Bhagwati in the PUDR vs Union of India case, which stated that workers paid nominal wages under duress were to be considered bonded labourers. “The problem is that authorities are not even trying to find out the truth. The labour department is supposed to talk to every worker, inspect accounts and documents. But they don’t. And with limited manpower, the same factory may not be inspected again for another 10 to 15 years.”

"Their Stomachs Taught My Children How to Work as Child Bonded Labourers"

Rakhi, another rescued bonded labourer, was trapped at a brick kiln with her children for over a year. She said poverty left them no choice. “Their stomachs taught my children who to work as child bonded labourers,” she said. “My children used to cry and tell me, ‘Mummy, send us to school. Everyone else goes.’ But what could I do? We had no money.”

She recalled how her children cried while learning the backbreaking work. “They didn’t want to do it. They used to cry and say, ‘We want to go to school.’ But we were helpless.”

"My Children and I Will Once Again Engage in Bonded Labour"

Even after being rescued, Rakhi admitted she might return to the same work if help doesn’t come. “If the Saharanpur administration and the Uttar Pradesh government doesn’t help us, then my children and I will once again engage in bonded labour. We will be forced to get back to the brick kiln because of our circumstances,” she said. “What else can we do? There’s no food, no work, and we have unpaid debts.”