Rescued count of minors rises to 529 in Nizamabad bonded labour raids; nine infants among survivors

At least 226 minors, including nine infants, were among the 529 labourers rescued from bonded labour conditions during large-scale raids conducted at brick kilns in Telangana’s Nizamabad district, official records viewed by The Hindu showed on Wednesday.

The raids, which began on Tuesday afternoon and continued late into the night, led to the rescue of 529 labourers belonging to 135 families from four brick kilns in Degaon village of Armoor mandal. The youngest infant listed in the records was aged 1.1 months, while the oldest was eight months old. Females accounted for a slight majority among the rescued minors, with 118 girls and 108 boys identified.

More than 400 rescued labourers were transported overnight to Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh in buses arranged by the Telangana government while others remain in Nizamabad awaiting release certificates and rehabilitation-related formalities.

Officials associated with the rescue operation said several labourers were facing difficulties in obtaining release certificates due to the absence of essential documents such as identity proofs and bank accounts, which are required to process rehabilitation benefits.

“These certificates are important because they are linked to rehabilitation assistance and welfare support such as ration facilities, housing support and monthly financial aid when they reintegrate into their villages and communities,” an official close to the case said.

With hundreds of rescued labourers, including women, infants and children requiring immediate shelter and care amid soaring temperatures, temporary relief camps and large shamianas or tents have been set up in Nellore to accommodate them. Officials said arrangements had been made for temporary accommodation, cooked food, drinking water, medical examinations and special nutritional support for lactating mothers and infants.

Philp Isadore, convener of the Bonded Labour Coalition, Telangana, said the scale of the rescue operation exceeded available district-level emergency funds, prompting both Telangana and AP governments to jointly coordinate relief efforts.

“A dedicated corpus fund exists at the district level to ensure immediate post-rescue arrangements in bonded labour cases. However, the number of rescued labourers in this operation exceeded expectations and the available funds were insufficient. Since a majority of the labourers belonged to A.P., particularly to Nellore and Tirupati, both State governments pooled resources and coordinated transportation and relief arrangements in Nellore,” he said.

Corpus funds allow district administrations to respond immediately without procedural delays. It ensures dignified and timely rehabilitation support, transport, emergency relief, legal assistance and interim compensation. Without such support, there is always a risk that survivors may fall back into exploitative conditions due to poverty and lack of livelihood options.

Meanwhile, Armoor Police Inspector Satyanarayana said the verification process of rescued labourers was still under way at the interim relief camp in Armoor mandal.

Police have booked one accused, identified as the key employer operating all four brick kilns, under Section 127 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to wrongful confinement, along with provisions of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, and the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act. A detailed probe is under way to ascertain the employment conditions.

Mr. Isadore also highlighted the absence of a dedicated Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for bonded labour rescue and rehabilitation in Telangana, saying such cases require coordinated intervention by multiple departments.

“In the absence of a clear SOP, there is often confusion regarding roles, timelines, victim handling, evidence collection, rehabilitation and follow-up responsibilities. This can delay justice and weaken survivor protection,” he said.