Surat: In a case of illegal confinement and forced labour, a 27-year-old woman, Kajal, was rescued from a local eatery in the Sarthana area of the city. The victim had allegedly been held captive and forced to work without wages for approximately one and a half years.

The rescue was carried out by members of a women’s welfare organisation and Surat police after they received a tip-off that a woman was being kept as a forced labourer at Bhagyoday Thepla House in Simada village. Before taking action, the organisation’s members kept the establishment under surveillance for 15 days to verify the claims.

Their investigation revealed a disturbing routine: the shop owner would open the premises at 4:00 am and close it at 11:00 am, then reopen from 4:00 pm until 11:00 pm. During the afternoon break and throughout the night, Kajal was allegedly locked inside the shop alone.

Following the surveillance, the organisation contacted the police, who assisted in rescuing the woman. Authorities also ensured that the shop owner paid her the full wages owed for the past one and a half years. Kajal has since been reunited with her family. DeshGujarat