New Delhi, July 2 -- The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a report about 12 bonded labourers being assaulted in captivity and forced to work till midnight without sufficient food and wages for nearly one and a half years at a paper plate manufacturing factory in Mandi village in the Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh.

One of the labourers managed to escape from the factory, and a complaint was filed with the Titawi Police Station, leading to the rescue of the other labourers. Their medical examination disclosed multiple injuries, including bruises, cuts, fractures and signs of prolonged physical abuse.

According to the police, one person had also died. The investigations are on to ascertain if ...