Decade-Long Captivity Ends as Man Flees Forced Labor and Conversion in Pratapgarh
In a shocking case from Uttar Pradesh, a man from Madhya Pradesh has finally broken free from a decade of alleged captivity and forced servitude in Pratapgarh. Santosh Shukla, 40, managed to escape on Sunday, ending what he describes as years of 'slavery' under a local resident, Badr-ul-Zama, 38, who has since been arrested by police.
From Promise to Nightmare: A Tale of Deception
Santosh Shukla, originally from Sagar district in Madhya Pradesh, first encountered Badr-ul-Zama and his associates—Kalloo, Naeem, Nizam, and six others—at a dhaba in Chhattisgarh back in 2014. The group lured him with promises of a better life and even a matrimonial alliance if he relocated to Pratapgarh. After waiting two years, Shukla accepted the offer and arrived in Pratapgarh in 2016, only to find his dream destination turning into a horrific nightmare.
Upon his arrival, Badr-ul-Zama took him captive, forcing him to perform household chores for the next ten years. Shukla claims he was subjected to relentless labor without any freedom or compensation, effectively living as a slave.
Forced Conversion and Identity Theft
The ordeal took a more sinister turn when Badr-ul-Zama and his associates allegedly took Shukla to the Dawood Nagar mosque and coerced him into embracing Islam. They also forced him to adopt the name Sher Khan. Using forged documents, the accused obtained a new Aadhaar card in this false identity, which they reportedly misused for their own purposes.
Shukla told police that he was compelled to eat meat against his will and that his fake Aadhaar was exploited by the group for various illicit activities. This systematic erasure of his original identity compounded his suffering over the years.
Multiple Escape Attempts and Final Freedom
Throughout his captivity, Shukla made three to four attempts to escape, but each time he was caught, brutally beaten, and threatened with death by Badr-ul-Zama and his associates. "Whenever I tried to escape, they caught me, thrashed me and threatened to kill me," Shukla recounted in his police complaint.
Finally, on Sunday, he seized an opportunity to slip away and made his way to the Derwa police outpost in Pratapgarh. There, he narrated his harrowing experience to the authorities, leading to immediate action.
Police Action and Ongoing Investigation
Based on Shukla's complaint, an FIR was registered at Jethwara police station on Monday under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 3 and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021. Pratapgarh SP Deepak Bhukar confirmed that Badr-ul-Zama has been arrested, while efforts are underway to apprehend his associates who are currently on the run.
"Badr-ul-Zama has been arrested and efforts are on to nab others. Police are also probing the victim's claims and making efforts to reach out to his family," stated SP Bhukar. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities verifying Shukla's allegations and attempting to reconnect him with his family in Madhya Pradesh.
This case highlights severe issues of human trafficking, forced labor, and religious conversion, underscoring the need for vigilant law enforcement and victim support in such distressing situations.
