Palghar: Tribal teen kidnapped, beaten, told to harvest sugarcane in exchange for pending dues

Sainath Tumbda, who was allegedly kidnapped on November 1

Palghar district witnessed another horrific incident where an underprivileged tribal teenager was kidnapped by a Solapur-based sugarcane farmer and his two associates on November 1 for seeking pending wages. The 19-year-old complainant, Sainath Tumbda, was held captive for 53 hours in Karmala taluka in Solapur where he was allegedly subjected to physical assault and torture forcing him to work in his sugarcane field to harvest the cash crop in return for his pending wages of Rs 5,000.

After the quick intervention of local social activists, the Manor police were informed and the cops rescued the teenager. On November 5, an FIR under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Bonded Labour (Abolition) Act, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were registered against three men including the sugarcane farmer, who owns nearly 15 acres of land where the cash crop is grown in Solapur district. However, no arrest has been made so far.

Father recalls incident

After Tumbda's father Asaram learnt about the kidnapping, he contacted sugarcane farmer Sundardas Kesarkar to set him free, or else he would file a police complaint against him, a social activist told mid-day. "But Kesarkar threatened Asaram saying that if he went to the police, he would face dire consequences as he would not give a second thought about killing his son," said Swapnil Wagh, a social activist based in Vikramgarh taluka of Palghar district.

The youth and one of the 12 tribals who worked on Sundardas Kesarkar's plot the 19-year-old and his relatives. Pics/Hanif Patel

Talking exclusively with mid-day, Asaram said, "We were constructing a road when Kesarkar called my son, telling him to meet him near Mastan Naka bridge in Manor where he would be paid his dues. My son reached the spot on November 1 around 11.30 am on his motorcycle." "The moment he arrived, Kesarkar and his two associates Hanuman Kamble and Rupya, bundled my son into their car. One of his associates rode my son's motorcycle while the duo sat in the car and they reached Solapur," Asaram said.

Tumbda lives with his extended family members in Palghar district and all of them are unlettered daily wage earners. "It is the reason, the oppressors exploit them and force them to work as bonded labourers," said Wagh.

Sainath's statement

Last year, many people went to work on Kesarkar's sugarcane farm to harvest the cash crop in Solapur. In the FIR, the complainant, Sainath, told the Manor police, "In September 2022, Kesarkar needed at least 12 labourers to harvest sugarcane in his Solapur-based farm. At that time, Kesarkar had fixed a daily wage at R275 for harvesting a tonne of sugarcane."

"So, all the 12 labourers started the work in October 2022 and continued till January 2023. We harvested 2,500 tonnes of sugarcane and returned to our village in February 2023. After reaching my home district, I called Kesarkar to give my remuneration for my hard work, but he paid only R1.69 lakh. The remaining amount is still due," reads the FIR.

"From February 2023 to September 2023, we were working as daily wagers wherever we could find the opportunity. From October 26, my father and I began working at the site of an ongoing highway project in Dhuktan," he added. Narrating his ordeal, he stated, "I was kidnapped by Kesarkar, Kamble and Rupya who took me to Solapur. I was subjected to physical assault. They also made caste-based slurs and threats.

They told me that I was a fool. I was kept under a close watch till 4.30 pm on November 3." "When I asked Kesarkar the reasons behind his actions, he told me, ‘You and your family members have neglected sugarcane harvesting work and left without letting me know'," said Sainath in his statement.

When Sainath reportedly told Kesarkar that he had been taken to Solapur against his will when he had come to collect his wages, the accused replied: "You tribal people will never improve… you take money in advance but will never complete the work. You are a stupid person." When contacted, the Superintendent of Police, Palghar, Balasaheb Patil said, "The teenager has been rescued by our team and we have registered an FIR against three men. Our investigations are underway and no arrest has been made so far."

‘A matter of shame'

The chairman of the Tribal Development Review Committee Vivek Pandit said, "It is a matter of great shame that the Katkari community, a primitive tribe, is still being oppressed in India. It is just because the Tribal Development Department has no spine to work to uplift the downtrodden community. The people working in the department in Maharashtra have failed miserably."

"How shameful it is that this teenager was kidnapped by a sugarcane farm owner when he demanded his wages! Sainath was supposed to receive R5,000, but instead of paying his remuneration, he was kidnapped and told to harvest sugarcane in exchange for his dues. This is unbelievable!" he added.

"Since the government is not providing enough facilities to tribals, they migrate to other districts in search of livelihood and landlords oppress them, exploit their poverty and force them to work as bonded labourers. This is nothing but an utter shame!" Pandit said.

Accused's version

Kesarkar told mid-day, "The allegations are baseless and incorrect. They have taken a huge chunk of money but they are refusing to harvest sugarcane. I am here at the Manor police station to cooperate with the cops."

Nov 5
Day FIR was registered