PUDUKKOTTAI: A six-year-old girl from Irular community, who was ‘abducted’ and believed to have been used as a bonded labourer by a manpower contractor for the alleged debts of her parents, was rescued by Gandharvakkottai Police on Wednesday. She was handed over to the Child Welfare Committee.
Sources said D Nagappan (30), son of Duraisamy, and his wife Kasthuri (26) stayed in Vedal under Seyyur taluk in Kancheepuram district.
Nagappan submitted a petition with Gandharvakkottai police two days ago stating that he had borrowed around Rs 5,000 from one Nagarajan of Thiruvithi in Panruti taluk in Cuddalore district. Nagappan forcibly brought the couple and their daughter to Saviyar Kudikadu near Gandharvakkottai to undertake sugarcane cutting works in a farmland belonging to one Prabhu in November.
The petition said they were not given proper food and wages. When they questioned Nagarajan about this, he snatched away their daughter and warned them on January 15 that if they do not pay Rs 2 lakh to clear the debt, they would not get their daughter back. They pleaded with Nagarajan several times to return their daughter, but in vain.
On receipt of the complaint, Gandharvakkottai Police rescued the child.
“This case should be considered as that of child abduction. Police were reluctant to register a case against the accused who abducted and detained the child for the last two-and-a-half months against her and her parents wishes over the alleged debts of her parents. As per the rule, the Gandharvakkottai Police should register a case and forward the same to Pudukkottai RDO,” said Clement David, a community relations specialist with International Justice Mission NGO, which assisted the couple in rescuing the child.