Brinda (10) D/o Late. Rajan, belongs to Dalit Arunthathiar community, is living in kattupudhur Village, Pongalur, Palladam Taluk, Tiruppur district, along with her mother Mrs. Lakshmi, under the care of her maternal uncle Mr. Thirumal, Mrs. Thilahavathi, W/o Thirumal. Close to their residence, there is one farmland belongs to Mr. Chandra Sekar.

On 13/04/2013, Muthulakshmi, w/o Chandrasekar, asked Brinda and five other dalit girls to clean the water tank located inside the farm land. After cleaning the water tank, Brinda drank water from the tank pipe. Muthlakhsmi, who considered this as defilement, got infuriated and attacked Brinda by throwing a stone on her head, which left her bleeding and with a severe wound on the back of her head. Brinda was taken to one private hospital and then to the Palladam Government Hospital, considering the severity of the wound.

When Thirumal and Thilahavathi, went to the farm of Chandrasekar to enquire about the attack, Chandra Sekar, and his wife Muthulakshmi, verbally abused them, referred derogatory regarding caste and tried to attack them. Following their poor response, Dalits in the village, blocked the path between the Dalit residential area and Chandra Sekar’s farm.

Chandra Sekar and Muthulakshmi, who got infuriated by this blockade, organized a mob of 30 caste hindu kounders under Ramalingam, Palanisamy, Dhuraisamy and Poongothai, and attacked dalits of Kattupudur village. In this mass attack, Raman, Suppammal, Thirummal, Thilahavathi, Ramesh Kumar and Nabanraj were severely wounded, and they were admitted in the hospital. In Opposition to the case filed against the Kounders, Kounders organized band, picketing and road blockade. Police have not arrested the perpetrators and negligent to take action against the caste hindus.

Gurcharan Singh S/o Babu Singh R/o Village- Radh, tehsil & District- Mansa and he belongs to Majhbi Sikh which has been declares as a Scheduled caste by the State government of Punjab. From May 2012 he was employed as a “Siri” (bonded labourer) by Avtar Singh@Tari S/o Gurdeep Singh R/o Village- Radh, tehsil & District- Mansa who belongs to Jatt Sikh community.

When he joined the work of Avtar Singh he gave him Rs. 30,000 (Rupees Thirty thousand) which he used to repay the bonded debt of his previous employer Mukhtiar Singh S/o Gurdev Singh who is from the same village. Mukhtiar Singh extracted work from him continuously for one year and imposed a debt amount of Rs. 30,000 (Rupees thirty thousand). Avtar Singh @ Tari fixed his salary Rs. 50,000 (Rupees fifty thousand). Gurcharan Singh was extracting work from 5:a.m to 9:00p.m. During the season of paddy and wheat he had to work day and night for the employer and employer did not allowed him to go his house, as he was from the same village, his wife and children were coming to the fields of the employer to give him his clothes. The employer was providing him three times meals. The employer was not allowing him for any weekly rest or over time and whenever he fall sick and could not attend the work the employer imposed an fine of Rs. 300 (Rupees three hundred) and adds this amount in the advance amount and charged an interest according to his own wish. His wife and his son were working outside and they were managing his household expenses.

On 10-4-013 about 8:00a.m Avtar Singh ordered him to go to his in laws house at village-Taradwala for work them along with his brother Naib Singh after finsishing the work of buffalows. As there was not any groserry item in the house of Gurcharan Singh he told his family members to give him money so that he can purchase some groserry items for them on his return from village- Taradwala. Gurcharan Singh was working in the fields of Avtar Singh. Avtar Singh’s elder brother Naib Singh came in the fields of Avtar Singh and started abusing him on caste basis and said that why he is not going with to village- Taradwala. Naib Singh caught him (Gurcharan Singh) from his hairs and and started kicking on his abdomen. As Naib Singh beaten him mercilessly, Gurcharan Singh become unconscious and fall down on the earth. When he opened his eyes he was in Civil Hospital, Joga.

His wife and son explained to him that when he was unconconcious in the meantime his son Hardeep Singh (16 years) came to the fields of Avtar Singh and find his father unconcious and Hardeep Singh called a person from the nearby place and with his help he boughts his father to hospital. The docters of Hospital Joga referred him to Civil Hospital Mansa for further treatment and in Mansa hospital he was under treatment here for seven days. His family members borrowed money from their relatives and manage the expenses of his treatment.The employer again started to harass the family for bonded debt. The family was under the fear. They approached to one field animator of VSJ and their complaint was filed before the District Magistrate, Mansa on 27-4-013 and when District Magistrate, Mansa does not take any appropriate actions against the employer. The complaint was again sent to NHRC, New Delhi which has been marked to District Magistrate, Mansa and SSP, Mansa for further investigation. The case is under consideration.

Parkash Kaur, Age- 45 is from Village- Dariyapur Khurd, tehsil- Budhlada,District- Mansa. She belongs to Majhabi Sikh caste. She has five children. One elder daughter Maninder Kaur is married and the names of the other four are Rinku Singh (21 years), Lachman Singh (19 years), Mandeep Singh (17 years) and Preet Singh (15 years).From last one year her son Lachman singh was a working as a “Siri”(Bonded labourer) with Raghuvir Singh@ Bira S/o Jagroop Singh, Caste- Jatt Sikh, of village- Dariyapur, tehsil-Budhlada, District-Mansa. On 10/4/013 all the family members of Parkash Kaur went to Civil Hospital mansa to see her sister in law Manjit Kaur@ Bholi and her daughter Gagandeep Kaur@ Gaggu who were beaten by the employer they were admitted at Civil Hospital, Mansa. Parkash Kaur was alone at her house, about 8:00p.m Raghuvir Singh came and knocked the door, when Parkash Kaur opened the door he immediately dragged her and keep his one hand on Parkash Kaur’s mouth and closed the door. He forcibly dragged Parkash Kaur on the bed and raped her and threaten her that if she will disclose this incident to anybody then he will kill her. When the family members of Parkash Kaur came she shared the incident with them and they went to the village Sarpanch named Bhagat Singh, but instead of taking any step against Raghuvir Singh, he slapped Parkash Kaur’s son. After that they went to police station Budhlada but the police do not take any action against the culprit Raghuvir Singh. Raghuvir Singh was threatening them continuously so that they could not file any complaint against him. Parkash Kaur’s family came to know that VSJ is helping their relative Manjit Kaur’s family who were bonded and the employer beaten them mercilessly. Then VSJ took up this matter and our field animators Mr. Jagsir Singh approached the victim Parkash Kaur’s family and appeared before Senior Superintendent of Police(SSP), Mansa. The SSP issue orders to SHO Police Station- Budhlada to register an FIR against the culprit. But the SHO does not register any FIR. As the victim Parkash Kaur & her family members were under the pressure of the culprit,On 19^th VSJ. Here Mr. Jai Singh (Gen. Secretary VSJ) met the victim family and made a telephonic call to SP (H) to know the status of the case.

The SP(H) assure that he will took the necessary actions against the culprit and said that to present Parkash Kaur on 20^th went to SP(H) office along with Mr. Jagsir Singh and Amar Singh(VSJ activist) the SP(H) start to pressurize the victim women for compromise. As the situation was not in favor of the victim then Jagsir Singh and Amar Singh along with the victim came out of the office of SP(H) . The SP (H) follow them and came out of his office and tell them to came on the next day (21^st Mr. Jai Singh came to Mansa and meet the SP(H) Mansa, when the SP(H) do not take any action against the culprit then VSJ activists decided to protest against the administration. There were around 300 women and 150 men who protested before Police station- City Budlada. At last the SP(H) Mansa, DSP Budlada, DSP Sardulgarh and S.P.D and SHOs of police Stations: Bhikhi, Sadar Budhlada, Joga came on the spot and controlled the situation and then on the spot the FIR 34 was registered in police station  City Budhlada under section 376/506 of IPC1860 and under Section 3 (i) (XI) and (XII) of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 and the culprit Raghuvir Singh @ Bira has been arrested by the police. Due to the pressure of accused the victim’s family has got compromise.

Baljit Singh S/o Natha Singh

Village- Varing Kheda, tehsil- Malout, District- Shri Muktsar Sahib. He belongs toMajhabi Sikh Caste. From  8-4-2013 Baljit Singh was employed by the employer Buta Singh S/o Jaswant Singh Village- Varing Kheda, tehsil- Malout, District- Muktsar as a “Siri” (a agriculture bonded labourer) when he was employed  the employer given him Rs. 3000/- as an advance. The employer and after that again the employer given him Rs. 2,0000/- which he used to repay the bonded debt of his previous employer Harbans Singh @ Hansa S/o Mithu Singh, Village- Varing Kheda, tehsil- Malout, District- Muktsar Sahib.The employer Buta Singh do not give him any information regarding his wages. He was working for the employer from 5:00a.m to 10:00p.m during the wheat and paddy transplantation season he was working day and night for the employer. The employer was not allowing him for any weekly rest or over time whenever he could not attend the work then the employer charged him a fine according to his own wish and was imposing an interest on the whole amount. During the work period the employer has taken his thumb impressions on many types of blank papers about which Baljit Singh do not know as he is an illiterate person. In January 2014 when he demanded his wages from the employer the employer do not give him any wages. The employer imposed Rs. 36000 as a bonded debt on him. The employer was  threatening him that if he will demand his wages and will not pay the bonded debt then he will hand him over to police. The employer abused him on caste basis. As the employer is not paying his wages so he do not want to continue his services with the employer and he ran away from the work place and approached to DDVA. A complaint was sent to District Magistate Muktsar on 13/2/014.   On 4/4/014 the Naib tehsil Lambi called Baljit Singh to record his statement. That day the employer was also present during the enquiry  the employer said that he is not demanding any bonded debt from Baljit Singh but he will also not pay any of his wages. The employer was pressurizing Baljit Singh to make compromise with him but Baljit Singh was not in favour of compromise. The naib tehsildar recorded the statement of Bajlit Singh and gave a next date on 9/4/014. 

Lakhmir Singh@ Sher S/o Ranjit Singh @Jeet is R/o village- Kadaiwala, tehsil- Dharamkot District- Moga. He belongs to “Valmik” caste which has been declared as a Scheduled Caste by the State government of Punjab.

From last two years he was working as a “Siri” (bonded labourer) with Amrik Singh @Giyani S/o Swaran Singh of Village- Kadaiwala, tehsil- Dharamkot, District- Moga who belongs to Jatt Sikh community. When he joined the work of Amrik Singh@ Giyani he was given 12 packets of cement as an advance during the construction of his house. The employer fixed his wages Rs.35000 (Rupees thirty five thousand) pera annum. Lakhvir Singh was working from 4:a.m to 9:00p.m. During the paddy and wheat transplantation of paddy and wheat he was forced to work day and night for the employer. The employer was not allowing him to his house as his house was in the same village but he could go because of the fer of the employer. The employer never paid his earn wages whenever he demanded his wages the employer always makes excuses and said that he will gave him later. Lakhvir Singh’s mother was working outside and she was taking care of the other expenses in his house. In the month of March one day Lakhmir Singh came to the work of the employer the son of employer Gurjit Singh beaten him mercilessly and due to the fear of Gurjit Singh, Lakhmir Singh ran away from the fields of the employer and took asylum some where else. The employer started to harass the family of Lakhmir Singh in his absence and he was demanding the bonded debt of Rs. 1,70000 (One lakh and seventy thousand). The employer daily visiting to the house of Lakhmir Singh and abusing the members of his family and was threatening them that if Lakhmir will not rejoin his work then he will find out him from anywhere and will kill him. So the family was under fear and Lakhmir Singh was not able to come back to his native house.

Lakhmir Singh approached to VSJ office and narrated his tale of woe and on behalf of Lakhmir Singh VSJ filed a complaint to District Magistrate, Moga for the release and rehabilitation from bonded labour and bonded debt. When they filed the complaint against Amrik Singh then he threaten them that he will implicate Lakhmir Singh in a false case. Then Lakhmir Singh  along with his family members were presented before SSP Moga for the protection and the SSP marked the complaint to the concerned SHO of PS- Fatehgarh Panjtur for the further actions. But uptill now, no FIR has been registerd against the culprit Amrik Singh. Lakhmir Singh is physically free and living in his house but he has not been issue any release certificate or any compensation under Bonded Labour Act and SC/St Act.