Just 30 km from the IT hub Bengaluru, Venkatesan and Jayamma worked as bonded labour for nearly 10 years, an unfortunate reality for over one crore Indians. The central government in 2016 spoke of rehabilitating 1.84 crore bonded labourers by 2030 - an acknowledgement of the scale of the problem.
Tamil Nadu and Karnataka lead in the number of people rescued from bonded labour - but this is also an indication of the seriousness of the issue in these states. In a recent raid, labourers from Tamil Nadu who had been working as bonded labourers in Karnataka were rescued.
"The work is very difficult - we don't get paid properly. We aren't able to do it. We get scolded if we can't do it. If we ask about payment they abuse and hit us," Venkatesan told NDTV.
His wife Jayamma added, "They sometimes take the girls and harass them. They pull them.... My back aches, my eyes ache, I can't get up. If we say anything they beat and punch us..."
The workers, who are from close to Vellore in Tamil Nadu, were trapped with a commonly used method - a loan was given to them and they were made to work to pay it off. But it was a loan that never seemed to end.
The IJM says it has rescued around 15,000 such labourers in the last 15 years. This group of labourers were rescued after one of them escaped and made it home to near Vellore. And authorities in Karnataka stepped in to rescue them along with an NGO.
"Apart from that what is happening is that there is no conviction happening in bonded labor system. There is a provision for that - but with more convictions happening and with publicity, then I think we can create that awareness in this society and these things can be avoided."
The accused has been arrested and charged with Human Trafficking. The freed labourers will now start to rebuild their lives with the help of government schemes. Ten years a slave - but these are the lucky ones. Thousands more remain trapped this way across the county.
"Kept Chained, Given No Toilet Breaks": Bonded Labourers Rescued In Maharashtra Rights Body Notice To Maharashtra Government, Police Chief Over 11 Labourers Kept Chained 36 Jharkhand Labourers Stranded In Tajikistan For 2 Months: Official Video: Car Boxed-In By 3 SUVs On Kerala Highway, Gang Loots 2.5 Kg Gold "Hezbollah Doesn't Want You To Watch This Video": Israel Defence Forces Rahul Gandhi In Parliament's Defence Committee, Kangana Ranaut Makes Debut US Living Through "Worst Border Crisis In History Of World", Says Trump Jammu Bus Attack: Anti-Terror Searches Underway In Rajouri, Reasi 4 Arrested For Raping Pune Girl They Met On Social Media: Cops Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.