The district administration, the labour department and the police released 150 women from a garment factory in Doddaballapur in a joint operation on June 2. All the women hail from Odisha and were sent to their hometowns in a Shramik Special train on Tuesday itself.
Officials are now on the lookout for the owner of the garment factory who is on the run. At least 22 of the women were brought to the factory in February this year. They told the police that they were asked to continue working during the lockdown but they were not paid any wages. They also stated that they were forced to work even if they were sick and they were not given sufficient rations during the lockdown, officials said. During this period, they had to make do with inconsistent supply of water and rations.
As soon as the lockdown was lifted the girls wanted to return home, but their employer allegedly did not give them permission to leave the factory premises.
A release stated that a total of 199 girls were working at the garment factory and lived in two hostels nearby. While 150 of them decided to leave, the rest have chosen to remain behind and continue working.
