29 Bonded Labourers, Including 14 Children, Rescued from Chennai Brick Kiln

Twenty-nine bonded labourers including 14 children were rescued from a brick kiln at Parivakkam, on the outskirts of Chennai. The workers, who had been stuck in exploitative situations for months, were finally released Tuesday evening after officials stepped in.

Acting on a tip-off, a team led by Tiruvallur Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) S. Raichandran raided the facility and discovered 43 individuals, including 14 children, from 13 families. Investigations revealed that these workers had arrived at the kiln in January after accepting an advance payment for a three-month contract. However, despite completing their work by producing the required number of bricks, they were denied the right to leave.

Shockingly, the workers were paid only ₹200 per couple per week, forcing them to survive under dire conditions. Unable to bear the long hours and meager wages, they managed to alert their relatives back home in Bolangir, Odisha. The families reported the matter to local authorities, who then escalated it to officials in Tamil Nadu.

Following the rescue, the victims were issued release certificates, and ₹30,000 was deposited into each adult worker’s bank account as compensation. “We have arranged train tickets for their journey home on Wednesday and assigned officials to ensure their safe return,” Raichandran stated.

Meanwhile, authorities have launched an investigation under the Bonded Labour Act to take action against those responsible for the exploitation.