COIMBATORE: A couple and their five-month-old daughter from Kerala were rescued and assisted by a team of revenue and police officials on Friday after a video of them grieving about their struggles in getting the salary from the farm owner near Chinnavedampatti went viral. The police officials assisted them in getting their salary and also arranged a temporary house.
According to police sources, the couple -- Prakash and Jayalakshmi are native to Alappuzha in Kerala and had come with their daughter to Chinnavedampatti two months ago, where Prakash had got a job in agriculture farmland.
“After the nationwide lockdown announcement, the farm owner denied giving my salary. Hence, we decided to return to Kerala and got the permission letter from the district administration. However, it was not accepted at the State border. Meanwhile, here, at our workplace, we were forced to vacate the house immediately and stay on the temple premises with our kid,” Prakash said in the video.
Prakash also said that the farm owner had assaulted them when they went to request for the salary. The video that made rounds had him requesting the Kerala State government authorities to take action on this issue.
After the issue came to the officials’ knowledge, a team of revenue and police officials from Coimbatore city met the couple on Friday and investigated the matter.
“We have arranged a temporary house for the family at Chinnamettupalayam and the farm owner, Gunasekar, who had allegedly denied the salary, was told to pay the house rent for them. He was also instructed to clear Prakash’s pending salary of Rs 13,000,” an official said.