'Slapped, then beaten and warned not to leave': 100 Jharkhand tribal workers allege abuse in TN textile unit

Around 100 migrant Adivasi workers from Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district have returned home in the past two days, alleging physical assault and being denied wages at a textile factory in the Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu. A victim identified as Anil Samad, a resident of the Chakradharpur area, said tensions escalated after a dispute at the factory, leading to alleged physical attacks on employees.

“Many youths have been working there for the last couple of years. My group and I went there three or four months ago. There were problems with food, rules and the behaviour of staff. When we raised our concerns and told them about leaving the factory, they started assaulting us and warned us not to leave,” The Indian Express quoted Anil Samad as saying.

Workers alleged that the situation worsened following a dispute, as a result, some employees were allegedly beaten when they demanded to leave. Manki Hessa, another worker from a Khutpani village, also alleged that he was assaulted by factory staff after a disagreement over work. “They slapped me first and then beat me with sticks and machine parts. My hand swelled up,” he said, adding that medical expenditures after the incident had to be borne by fellow workers.

Hessa said that when several workers demanded to leave, factory staff allegedly turned violent. Workers also claimed that women employees were subjected to harassment and physical assault. One such worker, Priska Horo, who hails from the same village as Hessa, was reportedly attacked when she tried to exit the premises.

Priska told The Indian Express that there had been no issues over the past four months, but recently the situation had worsened. She alleged that a factory staff member mishandled and beat her, an incident Hessa recorded on video. “I was not allowed to leave the premises and was beaten. When workers were initially not allowed to leave the premises, a few managed to escape by climbing walls or sneaking out,” she said.

After the escalations, workers had to arrange travel expenses for themselves. “We did not receive our pending wages. We had to arrange money for tickets on our own, sometimes borrowing from family members,” Samad said. They claimed that around 250–300 people from Jharkhand were employed at the unit, out of whom nearly half have returned, while others are likely to return in the coming days.

Jharkhand CM took note of the incident

After the issue came to light and videos went viral on social media, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren took note and instructed officials to investigate. While many workers returned over the weekend, others are expected to follow in the coming days.

Labour Department officials said the workers had been recruited three to four months ago by an agent for a textile unit in Namakkal. Following complaints of poor conditions, the case was reported on April 22, after which authorities coordinated their return. The workers have since boarded a train from Salem back to Jharkhand.