Officials Rescue 21 Bonded Labourers From Brick Kiln In Tamil Nadu
Around 21 people were rescued from a brick kiln in Devangudi district in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. According to reports, the rescued men and women were being forced to work as bonded labourers by the brick kiln owner and had been working at the kiln for several years now. This operation has come to light less than a month after a 55-year-old bonded labourer came to the rescue of 24 labourers working at a woodcutting unit in Sriperumbudur in the state. This matter from Devangudi came to light after a non-governmental organisation (NGO) forwarded an anonymous tip regarding the bonded labourers to the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO). As a result, officials with the district administration and the RDO raided the brick kiln and managed to free 21 labourers. The rescued labourers told concerned officials that they were physically assaulted and even tortured on multiple occasions by the kiln owner and his aides. This recent instance has unveiled the prevalence of a medieval practice such as bonded labour in modern-day India. Several such instances have been reported from Tamil Nadu in recent months.
