Seven kids among 34 bonded labourers rescued in Pudukai

It is said, an agent identified as Kumar of Vikkiravandi in Villupuram took all the 34 workers who belonged to Irular community from Vanur and Andapattu from Villupuram district to Andhra Pradesh as labourers for a sugarcane farm 18 months back after handing over a sum of Rs 10,000 and 30,000 claimed to be an advance to each labourers.

After the work was completed in Andhar Pradesh, they were taken to Dharmapuri and Madurai districts for the same work and then shifted to Alangudi in Pudukkottai district in a sugarcane farm owned by one Pushparaj for several months. 

Meanwhile, the Chennai-based National Adivasy Solidarity Council received an information about these labourers and they passed on the information to the Sub Collector Jayabharathi and Alangudi Tahsildhar. 

They rushed to the spot and held inquiries in which they confirmed that there were 34 bonded labourers. Subsequently, revenue officials along with the Labour department and police rescued all the labourers including 11 women and seven children and produced them before the district Collector. 

Meanwhile, the Alangudi police registered a case and have launched a hunt for him. “They were promised weekly wages and food but they were not even given the wages. They were just given a kilo of every day. Their health condition was also very poor and so a medical assessment has been planned,” said Dr K Krishnan, Secretary General, National Advisory Solidarity Council.