Employer bargains with family of man who lost hand at work

It was reported on February 21 that Anil Bhagora lost his right hand on the morning of February 13 while working at a charkha machine of Umiya Trading Co., Irana Road, Kadi, Mehsana district.

His widowed mother Mangla Bhagora had then yet to come to terms with the condition of her child. But now it transpires that in addition to the mother, the village sarpanch (Laluram Bhagora), the uncle, and the brother (Thavra Mangla Bhagora) of the boy have taken Rs50,000 from the accused, that is the employer, and have returned to their village, Padaliya in Udaipur, Rajasthan.

"They had come to Gujarat to negotiate for compensation and an amount of Rs1,10,000 had been agreed upon, of which the employer has paid Rs50,000 so far. The child is now in the custody of the employer, who is also bearing his medical expenses", a child rights activist, Sudhir Katiyar, said.

Katiyar also mentioned that the employer apparently has deposited Rs3.29 lakh on March 15 at the Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd in favour of Workmen's Compensation Commissioner. "But this should not be the reason for keeping the child in his custody as this money is with the government now", says Katiyar.

Katiyar says that the employer wants the family and sarpanch to withdraw the case against him, only then will he return the child to the family and sarpanch. "This we feel is a bargaining game that the employer seems to be playing with the family. He has already been booked under criminal sections  for employing worker below the age of 14 years, for not providing guard on transmission machinery of the super cleaning machine and for not reporting the accident in Form No 21 within the prescribed time. Umiya Trading Co is registered under the Factories Act 1948."