12 kids among 22 bonded labourers rescued

The labourers were rescued when the team was checking small and medium scale units, in and around Gudiyattam. 

The team was physically surveying several units in the area. During an interaction with the workers employed at the kiln, it came to light that they were forced to work to repay their loans which they had taken from the owner. 

The workers told the team that they had been working in the unit for nearly five years.

The rescued 22 workers belonged to six families, hailing from Pernambut, Anandagiri and Samiyarmalai in Vellore district and from Venkatagiri Kota in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.The group also included 12 children. 

The victims informed the officials that each family was paid only Rs 500 a week and they were not allowed to go for work outside the unit. 

The rescued workers were then brought to Vellore to ascertain their identities. The District Red Cross Society provided them with dhotis, saris, blankets, cooking utensils and 100 kg rice per family. They were later sent back to their native villages. Red Cross secretary Indernath, committee member Udaya Shanker and other officials were present.