Around 100 migrant Adivasi workers from Jharkhand have returned to their homes over the past two days, claiming they were beaten and not paid wages at a textile factory in Tamil Nadu’s Namakkal district, which is under a DMK-run government. Many of them said they had to flee the factory after tensions rose and conditions worsened.
Workers say they escaped after violence
According to the workers, nearly 250-300 people from Jharkhand had been working at the unit, and about half of them have now managed to return. Others are still on the way and are expected to reach home soon.
Some workers said they were not allowed to leave the factory premises. A few managed to escape by climbing walls or slipping out quietly. They also said they had to arrange money on their own to travel back, often borrowing from family members, as their pending wages were not paid.
Complaints of beating, harassment
Anil Samad from the Chakradharpur area said he had gone to work at the factory three to four months ago, along with others. He explained that problems had been building up over food, strict rules, and the behaviour of staff. When they raised these issues and talked about leaving, the situation turned violent, and they were warned not to go.
Another worker, Manki Hessa from Khutpani village, said he was beaten after a disagreement at work. He said he was first slapped and then hit with sticks and parts of machines, leaving his hand badly swollen. Fellow workers had to pay for his medical treatment.
Women workers also targeted
Women workers also shared similar experiences. Priska Horo said she was stopped from leaving and beaten by factory staff. She added that things had been normal for the first few months, but recently the behaviour of the staff changed and harassment increased. A video of the incident was recorded by a co-worker.
Recruitment and poor conditions
Officials said the workers had been recruited by an agent three to four months ago and were employed in textile production at the Namakkal unit. Many workers complained about a lack of basic facilities and poor treatment at the workplace.
The issue came to light on 22nd April after videos started circulating on social media. The matter was then reported to the state Migrant Control Room, following which the Labour Department got in touch with the workers and helped coordinate their return.
Government steps in
After the issue surfaced, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren took note of the situation and directed officials to look into it. Authorities confirmed that many workers had boarded a train from Salem and had already reached Jharkhand, while others are still on their way back.
The returning workers say they now want action against those responsible and recovery of their unpaid wages, as many of them came back with injuries and without any earnings from their months of work.
