Seven rescued minor girls return to Assam's Dhubri after Bihar brick kiln abuse case

Seven minor girls rescued from an alleged human trafficking and bonded labour racket at a brick kiln in Bihar's Saharsa district were brought back to Assam's Dhubri on Tuesday, August 4 under the escort of Bihar Police and officials from the Saharsa Child Protection Unit. Their return marks a significant development in the ongoing investigation into one of the most serious cases of alleged labour exploitation and abuse involving migrant workers from lower Assam.

According to Dhubri Child Protection Officer Noor Alom, the minors were transferred to Dhubri after a comprehensive verification process carried out jointly by the Bihar Government, the Saharsa Child Protection Unit and the Dhubri Child Protection Unit.

"The minors will be handed over to their legal guardians after completion of document verification. The Dhubri Child Protection Unit will subsequently conduct follow-up home visits to ensure their safety and monitor their rehabilitation," Alom said.

The case first came to light in April this year when 47 bonded labourers, including adults and children, were rescued from the Star Marka Eint Bhatta brick kiln at Dhamsaini in Bihar's Saharsa district and brought back to Dhubri. The victims, all from economically vulnerable families in Dhubri district, had migrated to Bihar five to six months earlier in search of employment.

According to the survivors, instead of receiving wages, they were allegedly subjected to forced labour, denied adequate food and shelter, and physically assaulted on a regular basis. Testimonies recorded during the investigation also alleged that the kiln owner, identified as Md. Owais Qarni alias "Chunna Mukhia", and his associates subjected several minor girls to repeated physical exploitation.

One of the rescued workers, Ali Sk, alleged that the accused and his associates frequently arrived at the kiln intoxicated and forcibly took away minor girls. Survivors further alleged that workers who resisted were subjected to severe physical punishment, including being suspended from a JCB machine.

The alleged abuse escalated on March 27, when a woman worker, Maleka Bibi, was allegedly shot in the leg by members of the kiln management. The incident prompted several labourers to flee the premises and, with the assistance of a local resident, file a First Information Report with the Bihar Police.

Following the complaint, Bihar Police launched an investigation, arrested the principal accused, Md. Owais Qarni, and coordinated the rescue operation that led to the return of the 47 labourers to Dhubri in mid-April.

While the adult labourers and other rescued victims were repatriated to Assam, the seven minor girls remained in the care of a shelter home in Saharsa under state protection to receive medical treatment, counselling, legal assistance and child protection support during the initial stages of the investigation.

Officials said multiple criminal cases against the kiln owner and his associates remain pending before courts in Bihar, while law enforcement agencies and child protection authorities continue legal proceedings and rehabilitation measures for the survivors.