Brick kiln owner, associates arrested in Karnataka’s Vijayapura for assaulting labourers
The brick kiln workers claimed that the accused hit them with iron pipes, threw chilli powder in their eyes, and threatened to shoot them.
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The labourers had been working at the brick kiln for two months. (Representational Image) The police in Karnataka’s Vijayapura district on Monday arrested a brick kiln owner and his four associates for allegedly beating up his labourers with iron rods. The arrests came after a video of the alleged assault surfaced on social media.
The incident was reported in Vijayapura district of Karnataka. The arrested accused have been identified as the brick kiln owner Khemu Rathod and his accomplices Sachin Manavara, Vishal Jamalana, Rohan Gandhinagar, and Kanakamurthy Gondali. The victims Sadashiva Madar, Sadashiva Babaladi, and Umesh Madar hail from the Chikkaliki village inthe Jamkhandi taluk, said the police.
The alleged assault occurred near Star Chowk in Gandhi Nagar. The labourers had been working at the brick kiln for two months, earning Rs 600 for every 1,000 bricks produced. Problems arose when they returned late after a festival and were accused of intending to leave without repaying a Rs 50,000 advance.
The workers claimed that Rathod, along with seven to eight others, assaulted them using iron pipes, threw chilli powder in their eyes, and threatened to shoot them. Rathod allegedly warned the workers not to report the incident to the police.
Babaladi said, “When we asked for more money, he accused us of trying to leave and started beating us. They poured chilli powder in our eyes, washed it off with water, and threatened us with a revolver, forcing us to stay silent.”
After the video came to light, local residents and activists demanded strict action against the accused.
In a shocking incident that has sent waves of outrage across #Karnataka, three labourers working at a brick kiln near #StarChowk in #GandhiNagar, #Vijayapura, were brutally attacked by their employer and his associates. The assailants not only carried out the attack but also… pic.twitter.com/Zj881igQwd
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) January 20, 2025
A case was registered at the Vijayapura Rural police station. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on X, said it was not just an inhumane act but also a gross crime. The criminals who attacked the labourers will get severe punishment, he said.
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