In one of the largest bonded labour rescue operations in recent years, authorities rescued 518 labourers, including more than 200 children, from brick kilns in Telangana’s Nizamabad district. The victims, many of whom appeared visibly malnourished and exhausted, were allegedly trafficked from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha and forced to work under inhuman conditions.
The large-scale operation was carried out jointly by officials from the revenue, police, labour, health, and child protection departments. Principal District Judge Bharath Laxmi personally led the multi-departmental raid and remained at the site for several hours to supervise the rescue.
The exploitation came to light after an escaped labourer, identified as Thupakula Babu, approached the State Legal Services Authority seeking help. His complaint triggered an investigation that exposed what officials described as a widespread system of debt bondage and forced labour operating across multiple brick kiln units.
Exploitation under harsh conditions
According to officials and survivor testimonies, labourers were allegedly trapped through small cash advances provided for travel and basic expenses, which kiln owners later used to justify prolonged confinement and forced labour. Workers said they were made to toil from 3 am until 11 pm daily without holidays, even in temperatures touching 46°C, and were not allowed to leave the kiln premises.
Several survivors alleged that they were forced to sign blank bond papers and threatened with arrest if they attempted to escape. One labourer from Tamil Nadu claimed he had worked at the kilns for nearly four years without receiving proper wages and survived only on weekly grocery vouchers worth around Rs 200. Authorities said families were often paid through paper coupons redeemable only at designated vendors instead of cash wages.
Hundreds, including over 200 children, rescued from a massive bonded labor operation in Nizamabad, Telangana, where victims were confined for several years and forced to work in unhygienic conditions and extreme heat. pic.twitter.com/tqPWKiql9A
— swe (@swethaanils) May 21, 2026
The testimonies also revealed disturbing allegations of abuse and exploitation. Some families said they had been trapped in the system for as long as 25 years. Officials received allegations that minor girls were separated from their families during the night and that children were used to pressure parents into working longer hours. There were also reports of deaths and burials taking place within the kiln premises.
Workers denied basic amenities
Rescue teams found labourers living in cramped tarpaulin shelters coated with dust and kiln ash, without proper access to water, sanitation, or healthcare. Infants, pregnant women, and children were among those found in poor health and showing signs of prolonged neglect.
Police said kiln owners had effectively stripped workers of their liberty by denying them freedom of movement outside the premises. Following the rescue operation, the victims were shifted to the Vijayalaxmi Function Hall in Mamidipalli, where they were provided food, water, medical assistance, and temporary shelter while officials recorded their statements.
The Armoor Police had initially registered an FIR on May 19 based on complaints involving 34 families, but the scale of the operation later expanded significantly, leading to the rescue of 518 individuals. Police have arrested three accused — Kiran Reddy, Thirupathi Reddy, and Mallikarjun Reddy.
The accused have been booked under multiple stringent provisions, including Sections 146 (rioting), 127(2) (wrongful confinement), and 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 16 of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, Section 14 of the Child Labour Act, and Section 79 of the Juvenile Justice Act.
Authorities said inter-state coordination efforts are underway to safely transport rescued families back to their native places. A large number of families have already been sent to Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district with government support, while investigations continue into the full extent of exploitation across the brick kiln network.