Bhubaneswar:The Odisha police have arrested about 50 agents and middlemen on the charges of illegal labour trafficking. The persons were arrested from Kalahandi, Nabarangpur and Rayagada on Thursday night.

The Police Headquarter, in a press statement, has said following the direction of the DGP BK Sharma, the special drive against the illegal labour trafficking was launched under the 5Ts initiatives.

According to the press release, the district police teams formed for the purpose have arrested 20 middlemen and agents from Nabarangpur and 15 each from Kalahandi and Rayagada on Thursday night. The accused were forwarded to the courts, it said.

Last week, at least 41 middlemen were arrested in Balangir and Nuapada districts for allegedly trafficking labourers to other states.