518 bonded labourers rescued from brick kilns in Telangana

In Telangana's Nizamabad district, 518 alleged bonded labourers, including 186 minors and 10 infants, were rescued from brick kilns after a complaint was filed by one of the workers.

As many as 518 alleged bonded labourers, including their family members, were rescued from brick kilns in Nizamabad district of Telangana after one of them escaped and filed a complaint.

The complaint was submitted to the Legal Services Authority in Hyderabad which was forwarded to the district judge G V N Bharatha Laxmi.

The judicial officer visited a brick kiln at Armoor in the district on May 19 following a directive from the authority.

Laxmi told reporters that the complaint alleged prolonged working hours without adequate rest, lack of basic facilities and meagre payment, among others, at the brick kilns.

She said some of the workers were found to be suffering from health issues and forced to conditions of bonded labour.

A police official said the rescued persons include about 186 minors and 10 infants belonging to the families of the workers.

The rescued workers belong to Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

He said arrangements were made to send the rescued labourers to Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh.

The complaint alleged that a person who ran brick kilns on the outskirts of Degam and Maggidi villages of Armoor mandal in Nizamabad district was forcibly engaging approximately 112 families belonging to Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in labour work without providing proper basic facilities, the police official said.

Following the complaint, a joint raid was conducted by the Judicial, Revenue, Police, and Labour Departments on May 19, he said.

During the raid, the 112 families were rescued, he said, adding that cases were registered.