BENGALURU: A family of three who were working as bonded labourers in an agriculture and sericulture farm at Bannimukudlu village in Kanakapura taluk of Ramanagara district since one-and-half years was rescued by International Justice Mission (IJM), a NGO, with the help of police and Ramanagara district administration.
The rescued, a 40-year-old man, his 35-year-old wife and 14-year-old daughter hail from Anekal taluk in Bengaluru Urban district. When they first arrived at the farm, they were given an advance of `35,000 although they were promised `1.25 lakh. The girl, who has secured 92 per cent marks in her Class 9, was not sent to school and was forced to work there. The girl told the NGO activists, “The owner shouted at me if I tried to go out and I was not allowed to even meet anyone on the neighbouring farms. I’m happy to have left the farm and I want to continue studying.”
The family worked for more than 12 hours a day but were not given any wages. They were only paid `2,000-3,000 a month for the whole family to meet basic expenses.On Monday, the Ramanagara district administration issued release certificates to all the three rescued bonded labourers.