Labourers brutally thrashed for returning late to work in Karnataka

Karnataka: In a shocking incident, three labourers in Karnataka's Vijayapura district were subjected to brutal assault by their employer for returning late to work after Sankranti festival celebrations, officials reported on Monday.

A video of the incident, showing the labourers being savagely beaten with iron pipes by three men, went viral across the state, sparking widespread outrage.

The attack occurred at a brick factory near Star Chowk in the Gandhinagar area on the outskirts of Vijayapura city. The victims have been identified as Sadashiva Madar, S. Babaladi, and Umesh, residents of Chakkaliki village in Bagalkot district.

Preliminary police investigations revealed that the factory owner, Khemu Rathod, orchestrated the assault over what officials described as a trivial delay. According to Vijayapura Superintendent of Police (SP) Laxman B. Nimbargi, legal action will be taken against Rathod and others involved.

Police sources disclosed that the labourers had taken an advance payment from Rathod in exchange for agreeing to work at his brick factory. They had traveled to their native village to celebrate Sankranti but returned four days later than agreed. The delay infuriated Rathod, who verbally abused them and demanded an explanation.

Despite the labourers’ assurances that they would complete their pending work, Rathod's anger escalated. He ordered the labourers tied up with ropes and subjected them to an inhumane beating.

The viral video depicts the victims seated with their hands and feet bound, legs outstretched. One of Rathod’s associates is seen pulling a victim’s hair and standing on their knees, while another strikes their feet repeatedly with an iron pipe, applying full force. The labourers scream and cry in agony as the brutal assault continues.

The police have filed a case and launched a thorough investigation into the incident. SP Laxman B. Nimbargi assured the public that all those responsible would face strict legal consequences.

With IANS inputs