Freed from bondage after a decade, tribal labourers in Odisha travel back home on foot

A tribal couple, who has been under captivity for years, claim that they have been forced to walk more than 30 km during the night because they could not cover travel expenses after saving in Odisha’s Jajpur region.

Naveen Munda (47), his wife Balma (34) and three children were rescued on Tuesday, August 26, 2025. Three children, including one girl, were shifted to different shelter houses, while Mr. Munda returned to a criminal case against the employer who was allegedly tortured in a brick oven for ten years in Madhapur in Jajpur, where he kept him prisoners on Wednesday, August 27, 2025.

However, he said that he had lost his belief in the police soon and that he was influenced by his employer and his hope of justice. “A policeman was offered with 5000 to avoid insisting to complain. I refused to come from the solution,” he said.

He was scared, decided to return home. Without money to travel, the couple walked out, and a truck driver walked a few kilometers without offering them an elevator. Again on Wednesday, August 27, 2025 and on August 28, 2025 Thursday, they marched to Bandipur in the neighboring Bhadrak region.

When Jajpur regional officials reached the brick oven on Tuesday, August 26, 2025 with social workers, they found the situation terrible. “It was a low -roof house. The situation was so precarious that it could collapse at any time. It wasn’t a suitable place for anyone to live,” said Taasildar Panda.

Mr. Panda confirmed that the family was under captivity. “According to the victim’s complaint, one member of the family always had to return as a hostage when another wanted to visit the house. This means captivity. We will verify more in our next investigation.”

Regional Child Protection Officer Niranjan Kar, children are not registered in the school, he added. “The brick was engaged in the oven and they had to do housework,” he said.

Since everything was in a hurry, the couple has not yet received compensation of 30,000 °.

According to the Ministry of Union Labor and Employment, financial assistance for the rehabilitation of a rescued worker is 2 Lakh for special category beneficiaries such as children, including La 1 Lakh per LA 1 Lakh per La 1 per Lakh and orphans, or for those who have been rescued from organized and forced begging or rescued from committed child labor and women’s workmanship.

“Without them, we are deeply grateful to the regional administration. Without them, this family may have been trapped for many years. However, it should mean more than releasing freedom – at the same time it should also mean security and dignity. Those in the police station should not be harassed after rescue.