Chennai: Tirupati revenue officials, the anti-human trafficking wing and the International Justice Mission (IJM) rescued 117 brick kiln workers on Thursday, including 52 children, living in deplorable conditions.The rescue operation, led by Veerabrammaiah, a revenue divisional officer, was conducted after receiving tip-offs from relatives of the community workers in Odisha. The workers, who were bonded labourers hailing from Odisha, were paid an advance of Rs10,000 and each family of 3-4 members was paid Rs300 per week, said a press release.
The victims, involved in hard labour, were made to work up to 18 hours a day and had been in bondage for the last eight months, it said.“The issue came to light when the relatives of the victims from Odisha informed the community workers,” said Mathew Joji, IJM member.
The labourers, accompanied by police officials, were taken back to the native place in Odisha on Saturday afternoon, and later will be handed over to the Bolanghir collector on Sunday, he added.
The laborers looked malnourished and weak at the time of the rescue operation, the IJM members said.
