UMERKOT, Jan 1: The district and sessions judge on Thursday set at liberty 20 peasants who were found detained at a farm and recovered by police under court orders.

Under court directives, police raided the farm owned by Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah after one Bharumal filed an application, seeking release of the 20 detainees, who were members of seven families.

The peasants, including Aidan, Majnoon, Bermoon, Seji, Sami, Arab, Ramji, Hangoo Bai, Phapoo Bai and Malhoo Bai were produced in the court of district and sessions judge Umerkot who set them free.

Aidan, Majnoon and Sami told Dawn that they had been working at the farm for past three years. About six months ago, the farm owner’s attitude suddenly turned bitter and he started subjecting them to torture when they demanded food, medicines or share in crop production.

They alleged that the men and women of seven families were detained separately and armed men were hired to keep watch over them and restrict their movement.

The landlord Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah denied the allegations and said that agriculture of the province was being destroyed by some vested-interests under a conspiracy by such concocted stories.