NHRC intervention leads to rescue of six Indian workers in Thailand; four repatriated

Six Indian workers who were held captive and subjected to torture by their employer in Thailand for several months have been rescued following the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Saturday.

The NHRC said four of the workers were repatriated to India on February 21, a day after the Commission wrote to the MEA seeking action in the matter. The workers arrived in Kolkata on a flight from Bangkok arranged by their employer.

According to the MEA’s Southern Division, efforts are underway to repatriate the remaining two workers, who are currently facing legal procedures in Thailand for overstaying their visas.

The NHRC had taken suo motu cognisance of a media report on February 20 regarding the plight of six workers from Kendrapara district in Odisha who were allegedly being held captive by their employer near Bangkok.

Following the Commission’s communication, the MEA contacted Thai authorities seeking their assistance in rescuing the workers and also reached out to the owner of the company where they were employed.

The media report cited a video recorded by the workers on February 17 describing their ordeal.

According to the report, the workers said they were confined in a factory near Bangkok and forced to work for around 12 hours a day in a plywood unit without wages or proper food. They also said their passports had been confiscated by their employer.

The foreign ministry said the matter is being pursued with Thai authorities to facilitate the return of the remaining workers.