10 bonded labourers, including children, rescued from rice mill

Maduranthagam RDO Lakshmi Priya received a tip-off that a few people were being treated

as bonded labours at a rice mill in Pettaiperumpakkam village, Acharapakkam in Chengalpattu. After confirming it, officials from the Revenue department and the Acharapakkam police surrounded the rice mill on Tuesday evening.

The police said that the owner of the mill managed to escape from the spot before they

reached the rice mill. The officials rescued the workers, who were made to stay in a small hut and took them to the Maduranthagam Revenue Divisional Office.

During the enquiry, they said that they have been working there as bonded labourers

for the past three years, as each of them had borrowed Rs 2,000 from the owner. They claimed that they used to work from 2 am till 11 pm every day and were not allowed to go outside the mill.

The Revenue officials arranged food and clothes for them and the RDO has also taken steps to ensure them all government privileges. Education of the children has also been arranged.

The Acharapakkam police are searching for the rice mill owner, who went absconding.