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“If my 17-year-old self stood in front of me today, I would say: ‘Worry not, we can manage anything. You have crossed all hardships.’”
In 2013, Suresh’s family were in search of stability after the passing of his grandfather. Desperate to build a home and settle down, they accepted an advance of 25,000 rupees (approximately HK$2057) from a brick kiln owner. The promise was simple: 500 rupees (approximately HK$41) for every 1,000 bricks. But the reality was a cycle of verbal abuse, intense labour, and manipulated ledgers.
But the reality was a cycle of verbal abuse, intense labour, and manipulated ledgers.
After months of backbreaking work, the family began to question why their pay kept shrinking and their alleged debt kept growing.
Suresh was the only one who could read.
He reviewed the owner’s ledgers and warned his mother: “They are falsely increasing the debt.”
One day, the physical labour nearly cost Suresh his life.
Forced to climb a palm tree without safety gear, the 16-year-old fell, sustaining near-fatal injuries to his back and kidney.
Suresh’s father carried his son to a government hospital. His father had to sign a paperwork acknowledging that his son might not survive surgery. Suresh recalls, “The man I have only known to be tough, broke into tears that day, before my eyes.”
After conducting an investigation, IJM’s local partner immediately met with the district’s Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) to file a complaint.
The RDO and police executed the rescue operation right away. Suresh’s family was finally free after six years of violence and abuse.
During that operation, young, terrified Suresh had felt a hand on his shoulder. A police officer looked at him and said, “Don’t worry kid, we are here to help you.”
In that moment of kindness, a dream was born. Suresh says: “That was the day I decided to become a police officer. I wanted to be to others what the officer was to me.”
Suresh and his family along with 46 other labourers were brought to freedom that day in 2019. The government provided Release Certificates to formally cancel their falsified debts and help them access long-term benefits for their recovery.
A van was arranged by the district administration to transport them to their native villages. Police filed their First Information Report (FIR) and a chargesheet against the kiln owner, and the case is now in trial.
Today, Suresh stands tall as a police officer under the Commando Wing of the Tamil Nadu Police Department, which is a specialised enforcement branch activated as needed during times of increased need (like riots or disaster management).
He’s the first and only member of the tribe in his district to join the police force.
When Suresh is in his uniform, even his former teachers in the village stand up to salute him. The children in his community look up to him. Many young boys and girls aspire to be like Suresh when they grow up.
Now, Suresh walks with confidence and assurance in his life of freedom.
“If I met the owner today, I wouldn’t be scared,” Suresh says with quiet confidence. “I would approach him in my uniform and proudly tell him who I have become.”
