Madhugiri (Tumakuru): Officials have freed an elderly couple who had been held captive and forced to work on a farm in Belladamadagu village, Tumakuru district, for nearly a year.
Hanumantharayappa and Ramakka, from Dabbegatta village, were reportedly confined to a farm owned by Lakshminarayana in Belladamadagu and compelled to work for several months. The incident came to light when concerned villagers informed the authorities about the couple’s plight.
Dalit rights organisations had urged officials to rescue the couple and take action against the farm owner, alleging mistreatment and exploitation.
Responding promptly to the complaint, Madhugiri Tahsildar Shirin Taj, Child Development Project Officer Kamala, and Senior Assistant Director of the Social Welfare Department Dinesh visited the farm on Wednesday and rescued the couple.
The elderly couple tearfully recounted their ordeal to the officials, stating, “We were brought here with the promise of work. They said we would be paid ₹14,000 per month. The owner even locked the farm gate. However, we were paid for only two months and have been working without wages for the past ten months.”
Sub-Divisional Officer Goturu Shivappa, after meeting with representatives from Dalit organisations, instructed officials to file a case against the farm owner, Lakshminarayana from Bengaluru. The couple was issued a bonded labour release certificate at the office.
Representatives from various organisations, including Jeevika Sanghatane’s Manjunath, Sanjeev Moorti, Bharat Kumar, Shivakumar, Sannalingappa, Ratnamma, and Maharaju, president of the Dalit Sahitya Parishat, were present during the rescue operation.
This incident highlights the ongoing issues of bonded labour and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals in rural areas, prompting calls for stricter enforcement of labour laws and the protection of workers’ rights.