31 bonded labourers, including 12 kids, rescued from kiln

The Bengaluru Urban district administration and the Bagalur police rescued 31 bonded labourers, including 12 children, from a brick kiln on Thursday.

Victims belonging to eight families from Odisha were confined to the kiln for the past six to eight months. Of the 12 children, six aged between 6 and 13 and the rest are infants.

A case was registered under various sections of the Bonded Labour (Abolition) Act, 1976, and the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016.

The police are on the lookout for the owner and supervisor of the kiln. According to International Justice Mission (IJM), an NGO involved in the rescue, the owner of the brick kiln had travelled to Odisha and contacted the families through local traffickers.

The owner gave each adult an advance of Rs 18,000 to lure them to Bengaluru. He also promised good accommodation, food and salaries of up to Rs 6,000 a month and schooling for the children.

The trafficker then transported the labourers to the city and brought them to the brick kiln. Once the labourers arrived, they realised that they were deceived and all promises made by the owner turned out to be false.

They were forced to work for over 12 hours a day with only a half a day break a week on Tuesdays. This was their payday. The male labourers of each family who were paid Rs 270 a week, would be taken to the market by the supervisor to let them buy provisions for the week.

The labourers were confined to the kiln and were unable to seek help. None of the labourers was allowed to take leave or return home. The owner told them that they cannot return until the advance was repaid.