99 Victims Freed from Two Abusive Brick Kilns

The rescue operations were led by trained officials from the District Legal Services Authority, relevant government agencies and police. Local tip-offs led them to numerous families who had been trafficked from the state of Odisha in January. Laborers in one kiln were forced to mold thousands of heavy clay bricks every day, and laborers in the second kiln hauled and stacked them for firing. All of the families lacked adequate water or toilets, and they faced frequent violent beatings from the owners. The trafficker had promised each family 100,000 rupees as a payment advance (US$1,200), but the kiln owners gave only 35,000 (US$408) from which the trafficker took 15,000 (US$175). These advances were then used as debts to keep the families trapped.

After sensitively confirming the allegations of abuse, authorities moved the victims to safety and issued them Release Certificates—which formally mark their freedom, entitle them to 30,000 rupees compensation ($350 USD), and outline other government protections. Officials then arranged train journeys to help the survivors return home and coordinated with the Child Welfare Committees in Tamil Nadu and Odisha to support their short-term recovery.

Several local nonprofits assisted in these cases, with IJM serving as an expert consultant to guide authorities through proper procedures and local laws. Police are still completing their investigation and the process of filing charges against the alleged trafficker and kiln owners.

IJM’s state office leader shared, “These two rescues prove that the Tamil Nadu government is on the right trajectory in achieving its vision of eradicating bonded labor by 2030…This also sends a strong message to offenders that bonded labor will not be tolerated—whether the victims are from Tamil Nadu or other states.”