Sat Mar 01 15:42:15 UTC 2025: ## 60-Year-Old Man Rescued From 20 Years of Bonded Labor in India
**Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu, March 1, 2025** – A 60-year-old man, Appa Rao, has been rescued from 20 years of bonded labor at a goat farm in Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu. A District Task Force team, conducting a routine awareness campaign on January 31st, discovered Rao during an inspection of the farm in Kadambankulam.
Rao, a native of Andhra Pradesh, reportedly lost his train while traveling to Puducherry two decades ago and subsequently ended up at the goat farm due to lack of funds and difficulty communicating in Tamil. He suffered from memory lapses, hindering his ability to recall the exact circumstances.
The goat farm owner, Annadurai, has been arrested and charged under section 143 (Trafficking of Person) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976.
Authorities, unable to locate Rao’s relatives, have placed him in a government home. A bank account has been established for him with an initial deposit of ₹30,000; an additional ₹70,000 will be added upon the owner’s conviction. The rescue highlights the ongoing challenges of combating bonded labor in India.
First Piper 