Migrant labourers rescued, Sarpanch arrested

Sambalpur, Nov 7 (UNI) Police have arrested a 'Sarpanch' and his brother for sending labourers illegally to other states and rescued 65 labourers from a railway station in Bolangir district.

Bileisathi Grampanchayat Sarpanch under Patnagarah Sub-division of Bolangir district Rohit Kumar Patel and his brother Lalit Kumar Patel were arrested by police, who rescued the labourers and their children from Lathor railway station in Balangir district yesterday.

Police also seized a country-made revolver from the possession of the Sarpanch.

All the rescued labourers were from Boudh and Balangir districts, two poor and backward districts of the state, police said.

Acting on a tip off, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Crime) Nrupachandra Dandsena alerted his counterpart in Lathor who in turn rescued the labourers and arrested the Sarpanch.

Balangir Superintendent of Police Himansu Lal said the Patel brothers were in the business for quite a long period. They had sent the labourers to Hyderabad, Bangalore and other metro cities without license and were minting money, Mr Lal said.

Bolangir Collector R Santh Gopalan when contacted said he would recommend to the government to dismiss the Sarpanch for misutilising his power.

UNI