A 39-year-old woman from West Bengal's Birbhum district has been rescued from an apartment in Gurugram, where she was allegedly confined and forced to work as a domestic help for more than two years under abusive conditions. The rescue was carried out on Friday through a coordinated effort involving West Bengal Police, district authorities, civil society groups and local officials in Haryana, PTI reported. Allegedly forced to work 16 hours a dayAccording to police, Bhadu Mandi had been taken to Gurugram after an advance payment of ₹40,000 was made to secure her employment as a domestic worker. Once there, she was allegedly made to work for over 16 hours daily, subjected to physical abuse and prevented from leaving the apartment. Authorities said the residence had a highly digitised security system, leaving her with little opportunity to contact her family. How the case came to lightThe case surfaced in March when Bhadu's sister, Lakshmi Tudu, approached authorities in Birbhum seeking help. Family members said Bhadu managed to contact them only when a technician visited the apartment for repair work. An NGO, Nari O Sishu Kalyan Kendra, subsequently coordinated with government agencies to pursue the case.
An FIR was later registered at Illambazar Police Station under the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). A West Bengal Police team later travelled to Gurugram and rescued the woman. Apartment owners abscondingPolice said the owners of the apartment were found absconding during the rescue operation.
Notices have been pasted at the residence directing them to appear before local authorities. Bhadu is expected to return to West Bengal on Sunday, after which her statement will be recorded.