Key Points
Twelve bonded laborers rescued in Muzaffarnagar alleged years of torture, starvation and confinement.
Survivors claimed they were beaten with rods and belts and guarded by pit bulls to prevent escape.
Police have booked two accused, while the factory owner remains absconding and rehabilitation efforts are underway.
ON MONDAY JUNE 22, 2026, 12 bonded laborers who were held forcefully captive in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district were rescued by a joint team led by police, district administration, and labor department. Authorities raided a manufacturing factory in Mandi village, after receiving information that a man had reportedly fled from the unit.
Days after the rescue operation, many laborers have now come forward to share the horrors they had to endure while under captivity. Survivors gave testimonies to doctors and police officials, revealing that they were subjected to confinement and beatings, and that pit bull dogs were used as guards to prevent them from escaping.
“They used to beat us if we asked for food or refused to do work. As soon as we fell asleep, they would come from behind and start hitting us with a belt. This was a daily occurrence. But when they had to beat us more severely, they would turn the speaker on loudly so that our voices would not go outside,” one laborer stated.
The laborers bore visible injury marks, their backs marred by deep wounds and scars, skin turning white with flesh peeling off. Many appeared malnourished and traumatized in appearance, more than two years of captivity reflecting on their faces and bodies.
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The rescued laborers were men aged between 16 to 44 years of age, and hailed from multiple states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Rajasthan.
Investigation revealed that the men were lured away from railway stations and other public places on the pretext of employment, free food and accommodation, and fair wages. However, they were forcefully taken to the factory, their identity documents destroyed, mobile phones snatched away, rendering them unable to contact their family. Many families believed that their beloved sons and brother were dead.
The workers were made to work all the time as long as electricity was available. If someone were to fall asleep during work hours, then they were subjected to more abuse and torture. Laborers also reveal that their captives used random items they could find — like, hammer, screwdriver, belt — to beat them.
42-year-old Sonu Chauhan, hailing from Agra, was brought to the factory with a promise of a Rs 14,000 job. For him, the opportunity was too good to pass, as even free food and accommodation was promised in addition. However, nothing prepared him for the reality of the job and the inhumane treatment he would have to endure.
“As soon as I arrived, they took away my mobile phone. The harassment began immediately. We were given only one meal a day, usually dry rotis. Whenever we asked for our wages or asked to leave, we were beaten with sticks and abused. We were forced to work like bonded laborers,” Sonu alleged.
One worker said that their heads were forcefully shaved, and then were beaten on the head with belts so as to weaken their minds and turn them insane, eventually driving them to their death. The factory owner, Ankit Balyan, reportedly kept the workers under strict and constant surveillance, and would direct his aide Shiva Tyagi to assault them if they lagged in their work or attempted to escape.
The workers were confined to two small rooms that were situated towards the back of the factory. Two pit bulls dogs roamed the premises at night freely, terrorizing the workers and stopping them from escaping. “We were threatened that if we didn't work, the dog would be set loose on us. It would tear us apart,” one worker stated.
Those who survived and were rescued were lucky, but many men couldn't see the light of the day. Workers revealed that others were murdered in front of their eyes, their dead bodies stuffed into sacks and disposed of somewhere. The threat of death was constantly used against them, the workers say, which prevented them from trying to escape and pushed them to continue working.
Two individuals have been booked so far in this incident — Pradeep Balyan, father of factory owner Ankit Balyan; and Ankit’s accomplice, Shiva Tyagi (26). Ankit is on the run, police say, and multiple teams are conducting raids to arrest him.
Police authorities seized multiple weapons that were allegedly used to torture the laborers, including lathis, chain whips, and iron rods.
Police said the families of the rescued workers had been informed, and relatives of eight of them reached Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh by Wednesday, June 24, 2026, to take them home after completing the necessary legal formalities, including recording their statements before the court.
Officials added that they are coordinating with concerned government departments to ensure the workers receive rehabilitation assistance and benefits under various welfare schemes.
(Edited by Vaishnavi Sivadasan)
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