ISLAMABAD: A man was found chained in a factory during a raid conducted by a magistrate and police on Tuesday.

Five factory workers were also arrested and shifted to Industrial Area police station for detaining the man for two weeks and a case has been registered.

Earlier, the Islamabad deputy commissioner received a complaint that a labourer had been kept in illegal confinement in a steel mill. He asked magistrate Saddar to look into the issue and try to get the labourer released.

The magistrate, accompanied by Industrial Area police, raided the factory and found the man chained to a charpoy within the factory premises. The magistrate questioned other labourers who said the man was chained by the factory owner for alleged theft.

“He was in terrible condition. His hair had been cut strangely to insult him,” they said, and added that the man’s leg was also injured.

Further questioning revealed that the man had been detained since September 23, after he allegedly stole braze weighing 5kg, worth Rs1,500, from the factory.

During the inquiry, the victim confessed to the theft.

Police said a man approached the raiding team and identified himself as the owner, but later denied ownership and said the factory was owned by his uncle.

The man was unchained and five individuals, including office staff, were arrested. Police said the labourer was also at the police station but had not been arrested.

Police said the theft would also be investigated, but added that, “the owner had no right to detain the man, even if he was involved in the theft.”

Police said the man should have been handed over to the police and the theft brought to the police’s notice.

They said under the circumstances, legal action would be initiated against the factory owner and employees.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2015

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