TARN TARAN, June 26 — A 35-year-old man from Uttarakhand was rescued from bonded labour at a cowshed in Tarn Taran district and reunited with his family after swift intervention by authorities, officials confirmed on Thursday.
Ramesh Kumar, a native of Chamoli district in Uttarakhand, had reportedly been held and forced to work against his will for three years at a cowshed in Dinewal village. His plight came to light after a video surfaced on social media, allegedly showing him tending cattle under exploitative conditions.
The video prompted Garhwal MP Anil Baluni to alert Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria. Kataria immediately instructed Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav to take action.
Acting on the Governor’s directive, the DGP mobilised the Tarn Taran district police. A rescue operation was launched, and Kumar was located and freed within hours. A joint team led by Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Tarn Taran, Deepak Pareek, conducted the operation, which included senior civil and police officials.
“Kumar was rescued from unlawful compulsory labour, and legal proceedings have been initiated,” SSP Pareek said. He confirmed that an FIR was registered on June 25 at Goindwal Sahib Police Station under Sections 143 (trafficking of a person) and 146 (unlawful compulsory labour) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Kumar’s family reached Tarn Taran on Wednesday and were reunited with him after the rescue. Authorities assured that the three individuals accused of holding Kumar captive will be arrested soon.
The case has sparked fresh concerns about modern-day bonded labour and human trafficking, with officials urging citizens to report such exploitation.
