2 Andhra boys rescued from bonded labour; man gets 4 years in jail

TIRUCHY: Thanjavur court on Wednesday awarded four years imprisonment to a man on charges of making two children from Andhra Pradesh work as bonded labourers in his farm.

On June 24, 2024, the Thanjavur district Child Line officials received information that two children, aged 9 and 10, were working in a field at Marungulam village near Thanjavur. Soon, the information was passed on to the RDO Ilakkiya and VAO Gopinath, who rushed to the spot and secured both the children.

Upon inquiry, the officials found that the parents of the two boys were offered a sum of Rs 30,000 each by Lakshmanasamy (46), who involved them in rearing ducks in his field. Soon, a complaint was lodged with the Vallam police, and Lakshmanasamy was arrested.

The case was in progress with the Thanjavur Judicial Magistrate Court, and the Magistrate Prabhuram, who heard the case on Wednesday, awarded four years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 to him.