NELLORE: For Ekolu Ravindra and Chenchu Laxmi, a tribal couple from Dandolu village in Tirupati district, the dream of building a home for their family turned into a nightmare.
In June 2024, with hopes for a better future, they accepted an offer from an acquaintance to work at a brick kiln in Rajampet of Kadapa district, in exchange for Rs 25,000. The couple, along with their two children, relocated, expecting stability and a chance to improve their lives.
Upon arrival, their hopes were quickly dashed. Instead of the promised opportunities, they were forced to live in a tent without basic amenities. Paid a meager Rs 700 a week, they barely had enough to survive. The work was gruelling, and they endured physical and emotional abuse. Realising they were trapped in a system of exploitation, the couple fled the kiln in September 2024 and returned to their village, hoping to escape the unbearable conditions.
However, their financial struggles were far from over. Ravindra desperately attempted to pay off their debt to the kiln owner, accepted another advance of Rs 25,000 and took work at a different kiln in Nellore district.
With their children left in the care of relatives, he hoped this would bring stability. But the owner of the previous kiln, Subbareddy, tracked Ravindra down and forcibly took him back, claiming he still owed money.
Left alone and desperate at the new worksite, Laxmi’s fear grew. On October 12, in deep despair, she borrowed a phone from her employer to contact her husband. But instead of Ravindra, the owner of the Subbareddy kiln answered, threatening her. Overwhelmed by the situation, Laxmi consumed poison and died shortly after being admitted to the hospital.
Following her death, Ravindra was released by the kiln owner and allowed to return to their village to perform her last rites. Grief-stricken and left to care for their two children, Ravindra now faces an uncertain future.
“This incident reveals the harsh reality that bonded labour is still rampant in India despite its abolition in 1976,” said Basheer, a representative from the Association for Rural Development, a social organisation that helps exploited workers. Basheer stressed the need for immediate legal action and urged the arrest of the kiln owner under the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act of 1976.
Laxmi’s story is only one of many. Between August and October 2024, several cases of bonded labour were reported in the State, including the rescue of 10 workers in Tirupati and the release of six families from years of bondage in Palnadu district.
Social workers have expressed concerns that, despite the laws in place, many rescued workers do not receive proper support or documentation, leading them to fall back into the cycle of exploitation.
The district administration has promised assistance to Ravindra and his family. “A team of officials has visited the village and assured the family of support,” said one official. An inquiry into the incident is underway, with investigation focused on the owner’s role in Laxmi’s death.
Under the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, bonded labour is defined as a situation where a worker is forced to work to repay a loan or advance taken from an employer.
Workers trapped in this system often have no freedom to leave until the debt is cleared, and they are typically paid unfair, inadequate wages or none at all. Employers may also exploit the workers by dictating prices or keeping them under threat, trapping them in these harsh conditions until their loans are cleared.