The Kancheepuram district officials raided brick kiln at Chengalpattu on Tuesday night and rescued 11 persons, including an elderly woman and five girls, working as bonded labourers.
A team led by Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) Muthuvadivel, along with Chengalpattu tahsildar, conducted the operation.
A senior official said V. Sathish was running the brick kiln unit at Konganaanchery village in Chengalpattu. He got 11 labourers from Villupuram to work for him by giving them loan at high interest rates.
The elderly woman, aged about 70, was not given any tough job but the others suffered inhuman treatment, the official said. One of the workers was able to reach Kancheepuram Collector P. Ponniah and informed him about the poor working conditions and ill treatment meted out to them.
The Collector immediately directed the RDO to rescue the workers.
The rescued were sent back to their native place at Mallamur village, Mr. Muthuvadivel said. A complaint against the brick kiln owner has been filed at the Paaloor police station.