Krishnagiri: In yet another story of poor migrant people trapped to work as bonded labour, a 11-member Tamil Nadu family including nine children was freed from inhuman working conditions and they are all set to return to their home district of Krishnagiri.
Sources told DC that 40-year-old Mathappan, an Irula tribe of the uphill Bettamugilaalam village in Denkannikottai taluk of Krishnagiri, his 33-year-old wife Kenchamma and their children migrated to work in a farm near Kanakkapuram in Ramanagara district of neighbouring Karnataka.
The farm owner Kusappa was introduced to Mathappan by a broker Semalam, who allegedly lured the innocent victims by promising them an annual salary of rupees 60,000. Besides, the family will get other amenities including free quarters and food.
However, the condition of the family became worst compared to their earlier mode of living here. The family was forced to work without salary and also the rations provided to them were insufficient, sources said.
Worse was that the owner not allowing Mathappa to admit his wife Kenchamma in the hospital when the woman was pregnant for the eighth time. Their eighth and the ninth child were miraculously born inside the farm where the family was kept in confinement. Mathappan also played the role of midwife and helped Kenchamma to deliver the babies.
The ordeal of the family came to an end, thanks to rescue efforts by the ‘International Justice Mission’, an NGO. The NGO was tipped off about the plight of Mathappa’s family.
They, with the support of the local police, saved the family from “slavery”. Mathappan and others are expected to return to their native Bettamugilalam in a few days. Sources said, the family will be handed over to the Krishnagiri district collector Mr. C. Kathiravan who already has information about the victims and is ready with a rehabilitation programme for them.
