Captivity & Coercion: NHRC Takes Suo Motu Cognizance of ‘Modern-Day Slavery’ of Odisha Workers in Thailand
(By Syed Ali Taher Abedi)
New Delhi: 23rd February 2026-In a significant exercise of its investigative powers, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken Suo motu cognizance of reports alleging the unlawful confinement and systemic exploitation of Indian nationals in Thailand.
Characterizing the situation as a grave violation of fundamental human rights and a manifestation of modern-day slavery, the Commission has issued a formal notice to the Ministry of External Affairs, seeking an urgent intervention and a detailed status report on the repatriation of the victims.
In a stark revelation underscoring the shadowy underbelly of India’s outbound labour migration amid tightening geopolitical fault lines in Southeast Asia, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India has taken Suo motu cognizance of a harrowing media report.
The case spotlights at least six hapless workers hailing from Odisha’s coastal Kendrapara district, who have allegedly been ensnared in brutal captivity by their unscrupulous employer for the past six gruelling months in a nondescript industrial enclave on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand.
This incident, emblematic of the precarious plight faced by Indian migrant labourers navigating the Indo-Thai economic partnership—bolstered by bilateral trade pacts and Thailand’s voracious demand for low-wage manpower in its manufacturing hubs—burst into public view on February 17, 2026.
In a desperate bid for deliverance, the victims clandestinely recorded a gut-wrenching video chronicling their ordeal, exposing how they are shackled within the factory confines, enduring relentless physical beatings and psychological torment at the hands of their captors.
As India grapples with the geopolitical ripple effects of such human trafficking networks exploiting post-pandemic labour shortages and lax border oversight between South and Southeast Asia, the NHRC’s proactive intervention signals a pivotal push for diplomatic recourse and robust safeguards against the exploitation rife in these transnational employment pipelines.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has flagged grave concerns after reviewing a media report that, if accurate, points to serious violations of migrant workers’ rights.
Acting on the revelations, the Commission has sought a formal response from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on whether assistance can be extended to the victims’ families, with comments expected within a week.
The report, published on February 19, 2026, alleges that six workers from Odisha’s Kendrapara district were lured to Thailand in August 2025 by a labour contractor promising lucrative jobs. Instead, they were forced into gruelling 12-hour shifts at a plywood factory, denied wages and adequate food, and stripped of their passports by their employer.
The victims have now appealed to Indian authorities for urgent intervention to secure their safe return.
