NHRC seeks MEA’s comment on six Odisha workers held captive in Thailand

Bhubaneswar/Kendrapara: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought comments from the Ministry of External Affairs regarding six workers from Odisha who were held captive by their employer in Thailand, according to a statement released in Bhubaneswar Monday.

The NHRC took suo motu cognisance of a media report that six people from Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts were harassed by the employer for the last six months in an area near Bangkok in Thailand, the statement said.

The incident came to light February 17 when the victims recorded a video describing their plight. According to the allegation, they were confined inside a factory and subjected to physical, as well as, mental torture by their employer.

“The Commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise a serious issue of human rights violations of the victims. Therefore, it has sought the comments of the Ministry of External Affairs on whether they could render any assistance to the families of the victims. The response is expected within a week,” the statement said.

According to the report, the victims had gone to Thailand in August 2025 through a labour contractor, who had promised them a good job with a decent salary. However, they were forced to work 12 hours a day in a plywood factory without a salary or proper food. Apart from this, the employer has also allegedly confiscated their passports.

The Odisha government’s Odia Language, Literature & Culture department said that four of the six workers had returned to their homes late last week due to coordinated efforts of the state government, the MEA and others.

Two others were still in Thailand due to some visa-related issues, an official said.

PTI