ANANTAPUR: The Sri Sathya Sai district administration rescued 41 workers, including women and children, from five worksites in the district on Thursday. The workers, from Raigarh, Maharashtra, belong to the Kathlati tribal community, identified as one of the most vulnerable tribal communities.
The rescue followed a complaint lodged by two young men in their early twenties, who escaped from the worksites and reached Maharashtra.
The men approached social workers and sought help to rescue their parents and grandparents, who were still working at the sites. With the help of social workers, they lodged a complaint.
Based on which, the Sri Sathya Sai district authorities initiated action and coordinated with the concerned officials in AP. During the operation, officials identified multiple worksites where workers were allegedly being engaged in bonded labour.
The owner of the worksites is reported to be from Maharashtra. The workers had allegedly remained in bonded labour for over three years.
Officials rescued the workers from five worksites located at Chinthalapalli village (two locations), Puleru Road near Gorantla town, Thummarayuni Thanda and Talamarla village. Four locations fall under Gorantla mandal of the Penukonda revenue division, while Talamarla village falls under Kothacheruvu mandal of the Puttaparthi revenue division.
Rescued workers told officials they were allegedly beaten, forced to work long hours and denied wages after receiving advances of `20,000-50,000. Police detained two persons linked to the worksites.
Experts called for an inter-State SOP and formal coordination mechanism to streamline information sharing, repatriation & survivor rehabilitation.