Seven people, including a nine-month pregnant woman and two children, were rescued from alleged bonded-labour conditions in separate operations in Ramanathapuram and Dindigul districts on September 22, 2026. Revenue officials, police and labour-rights groups were involved in the rescues, and the affected families were issued bonded-labour release certificates.
In Ramanathapuram district, officials rescued Dheepa, 23, her husband Ravi, 24, and their four-year-old daughter from a goat-grazing unit. The family, originally from Peravoorani, had reportedly received an advance of about ₹2 lakh two years earlier. Authorities said they had been made to work without proper wages and under poor conditions, and that Dheepa, despite being nine months pregnant, had allegedly been denied medical care during her pregnancy. After the rescue, officials took her to Ramanathapuram Government Hospital for treatment and observation.
Following a complaint from revenue officials, R.S. Mangalam police registered a case against Kumar of Sivaganga, who was accused of employing the family under bonded-labour conditions. Police said the matter was under investigation.
A separate rescue operation took place at Kombaikadu in Dindigul district, where authorities freed Murugavel, 42, his wife Selvi, 38, and their two daughters, aged 21 and 8. The family belongs to the Paliyar tribal community and had reportedly been working at a coffee estate connected to an employer from Palani.
According to S. Annadurai of the NGO Child Voice, the couple had allegedly remained in bonded labour for nearly five years after borrowing about ₹80,000 in 2019. He said other workers at the estate received higher daily wages, while Murugavel and Selvi were paid substantially less and received only a small amount each week, with the remainder allegedly deducted toward interest on the loan. The couple were also reportedly forced to work while unwell and faced intimidation when they attempted to leave the estate.
The Dindigul rescue was facilitated by Released Bonded Labourers Association district president Surya Prakash along with Child Voice. The family received official release certificates, while Kodaikanal police registered a case against the employer, identified in the report as Senthil, and began further investigation.
The two cases drew attention to the continuing problem of debt-linked labour exploitation, withheld wages, restricted movement and inadequate access to healthcare among vulnerable workers. Government officials in both districts said further legal and rehabilitation measures were being pursued for the rescued families.