Rescued Bengal Youths Rebuild Lives After Escaping Bonded Labour in Tamil Nadu

Skill training of youths rescued from Tamil Nadu. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Between 2019 and 2024, 143 children and young adults from West Bengal were rescued from bonded labour in gold jewellery manufacturing units in Tamil Nadu. Thanks to the efforts of the Tamil Nadu Police, West Bengal Government, and NGOs, many of these survivors are now rebuilding their lives with dignity, education, and employment.

According to data from the West Bengal government and associated NGOs, 60 individuals were rescued in September 2019, 22 in February 2023, 54 in July 2023, and seven in November 2024. Post-rescue, these young survivors received psychological support and career counselling to help them transition into a better life.

From Captivity to Careers

Dipankar Bera, 20, is one such success story. Once locked inside a jewellery unit in Chennai, he now works as a Junior Officer in operations at a popular barbeque restaurant chain after completing a training program through a Hooghly-based centre under the National Skill Development Corporation.

“Life has changed completely,” said Dipankar. “Back then, I didn’t have any freedom. Now, with the government’s support, I have a job with a proper salary, designation, benefits, and leaves.”

Eighteen-year-old Al Amin, another survivor, has returned to school and enrolled in a computer course with the goal of becoming a cybersecurity expert. He’s also become a community advocate, spreading awareness in his village in North 24 Parganas about the dangers of bonded labour.

“The work in the jewellery unit was brutal,” he recalled. “We worked long hours handling gold, with harsh chemicals and metal dust scarring our hands.”

Chiranjit Mondal, 21, from South 24 Parganas, now works in housekeeping at a facilities management company. “The difference in how I’m treated now is huge,” he said. “My current employers are kind. I am grateful to everyone who helped me and to the company that gave me a chance. I want to keep working hard and support my family.”

All three — Dipankar, Al Amin, and Chiranjit — were rescued from jewellery manufacturing units by the Tamil Nadu police and later repatriated to West Bengal.

Holistic Support Post-Rescue

An official from the West Bengal Labour Department emphasized the collaborative nature of the rescue and rehabilitation process. “Multiple departments and NGOs work together to rescue, repatriate, and rehabilitate these young individuals. We ensure they receive psychological support and career counselling so they can re-enter society with confidence.”

The rescued youth have also been provided training under the West Bengal government’s ‘Utkarsh Bangla’ skill development scheme.

The official clarified that while West Bengal itself doesn’t have a significant issue with bonded or child labour, many residents fall prey to such exploitative practices when recruited to work in other states. Often, these young people are lured by the promise of acquiring vocational skills — such as gold ornament making — only to end up trapped in exploitative working conditions.

Though the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act of 1976 outlaws such practices, they continue to persist in informal and hidden sectors, especially among the most marginalized communities.

Through awareness, intervention, and continued support, these young survivors are not only reclaiming their lives but also helping others avoid similar fates.