As many as 31 persons, including nine children, were rescued from bonded labour in Uthukottai taluk in Tiruvallur district on Saturday night. The labourers, who were natives of Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai and Andhra Pradesh, had reportedly been in bondage for over a decade. According to representatives of the International Justice Mission (IJM), the labourers were forced to work long hours cutting trees. They lived in makeshift tents and were paid Rs. 100-Rs. 150 as weekly wages per family.
Alice Suganya of IJM, said the children reported being denied education. A seven-year-old child said she had to spend most of her day cooking for her family. Volunteers of IJM and Tiruvallur Revenue Divisional Officer R. Abirami conducted the operation.
