Guarded by Pit Bulls, Starved and Beaten: 12 Bonded Labourers Rescued From UP Factory

A major investigation into an alleged bonded labour racket in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar has intensified after police revealed that one of the workers rescued from a paper plate manufacturing factory allegedly died following prolonged torture and that his body was later disposed of in a sack. The disclosure emerged during the probe into a factory in Mandi village under the Titawi police station area, where authorities rescued 12 bonded labourers, including minors, during a raid on June 22.

Senior Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar said the deceased worker, identified as Arjun , allegedly died in November 2025 after being subjected to torture inside the factory. Rescued labourers have claimed that the victim, also known as Topi , was killed after attempting to resist captivity or escape. Investigators are now examining whether an unidentified body recovered about 700 metres from the factory in November 2025 is linked to the case.

Police have registered a fresh case against factory owner Ankit Balyan and Shiva Tyagi . Tyagi has been arrested, while Balyan remains absconding. A Special Investigation Team has been constituted and multiple police teams have been deployed to track him down.

According to investigators, the labourers were brought from several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, as well as Nepal , on the promise of monthly wages of ₹12,000. Workers alleged they were confined for more than a year, forced to work from around 4 am until midnight, deprived of wages, and subjected to brutal abuse. They claimed they were beaten with belts and rods, stabbed with spears, threatened by pit bull dogs, fed animal fodder, and denied contact with their families after their phones and identity documents were confiscated. Medical examinations reportedly found visible torture marks and injuries on several workers.

All rescued labourers have undergone medical examinations , recorded statements before a magistrate, and are receiving treatment and rehabilitation assistance. Authorities have established contact with some families and are working to reunite the victims with their relatives.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi described the alleged atrocities as an assault on human dignity and demanded justice, rehabilitation for the victims, and the strictest punishment for those responsible.