Ahmedabad: He fled human traffickers’ captivity three times. But as daylight faded, so did his chances of freedom. Night blindness stymied his every attempt to escape bondage.
Police eventually traced the boy to Nava Nadisar village, where he had been forced into bonded labour after being abducted at 14. The boy, now nearly 18, has told police that he was repeatedly assaulted. Police had announced a Rs 10,000 reward for information on his whereabouts.
“He would choose to flee in the evening, when the woman monitoring him was busy,” a senior police officer said. The boy was allegedly beaten when he failed to complete work on time, according to police. Police said the woman accused of beating him is also likely to be made an accused in the case.
“But since he couldn’t see in the dark, he couldn’t go too far. His rescue came during a crime branch-AHTU drive to trace children missing for years. The boy will now undergo treatment for his vision problem and will be rehabilitated through the social welfare department.