Tirupati Bonded Labour Tragedy: Yanadi Tribal Woman Finds Son Dead After Leaving Him as Collateral for Loan

 Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh – May 24, 2025 In a harrowing case of bonded labour and exploitation, a woman from the Yanadi tribal community who was forced to leave her son as collateral against a ₹25,000 loan has discovered that the boy had died in captivity and was buried in secrecy in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

The boy’s death, concealed for weeks, came to light following an investigation prompted by the mother’s desperate complaint. The accused, a duck rearer based in Tirupati, and his family were arrested this week after confessing to the concealment.

According to police reports, Anakamma, the mother, and her late husband Chenchaiah had taken up employment with the accused in 2023. After her husband's death, Anakamma and her three sons continued to work under exploitative conditions. The employer, citing the outstanding loan, refused to let them leave. When she pressed for freedom, he demanded ₹45,000 – including ₹20,000 in interest – for their release.

Unable to arrange the sum in full, Anakamma was coerced into leaving one of her sons with the employer as surety. She maintained occasional contact with the boy via phone, during which he reportedly complained of being overworked and repeatedly asked her to take him home. The last conversation between the two occurred in April.

A Trail of Deceit

After securing the loan repayment by late April, Anakamma approached the employer to retrieve her son. He responded with a string of evasions, first claiming the child had been sent away, then stating he was hospitalised, and finally asserting he had run away. Alarmed by the conflicting accounts, Anakamma sought help from tribal leaders and filed a police complaint.

A special police team was constituted to investigate. During interrogation, the employer admitted that the boy had died and was buried in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. On Tuesday, police exhumed the body, with the grieving mother collapsing in tears at the site.

Tirupati District Collector Venkateswar, speaking to NDTV, confirmed that CCTV footage showed the boy being taken to a hospital. “The employer’s family claims the boy died of jaundice. However, he was buried without informing his family, which raises serious questions,” the Collector said.

Legal Action Underway

The duck rearer, his wife, and their son have been arrested. Authorities have registered a case under multiple statutes, including the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, Juvenile Justice Act, the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). A post-mortem examination has been conducted, and further forensic analysis is underway.

Activists working with tribal communities have long warned of the vulnerability of Yanadi families to bonded labour. According to rights groups, at least 50 individuals from the community were rescued from similar circumstances in recent months. These cases often involve informal loan agreements that evolve into forced labour arrangements, trapping families under conditions of debt and coercion.

A Call for Justice

The incident has sparked outrage among human rights advocates and community leaders, who are calling for systemic reforms to prevent such exploitation. “This is not just a case of bonded labour—it’s a reflection of how the most marginalised communities continue to be exploited with impunity,” said one activist familiar with the case.

Authorities have promised swift and thorough legal proceedings. Meanwhile, Anakamma, mourning the loss of her son, has become the face of a tragedy that underscores the urgent need for stronger enforcement of labour and human rights protections, especially among India’s most vulnerable populations.