Mystery surrounds child labourer's death

By Our Staff Reporter

KANCHEEPURAM, SEPT. 6. Mystery surrounds the death of a child labourer, who was mortgaged by his father to work in a handloom in the town. Thamizharasan, 13-year-old son of Rajendran of Thoppu Street in Pillaiyarpalayam was found dead at Thirupathikundram this morning.

Sources said Rajendran had mortgaged Thamizharasan to a handloom owner, Sammandam, for Rs. 3,000. The boy had been employed for long and it is reported that he was irregular in work in the past few months.

Meanwhile, Sammandam lodged a complaint at the Siva Kanchi police station that Thamizharasan had stolen Rs. 500 in cash from the weaving centre.

Police here said they had indeed brought the boy to the police station yesterday morning and he left the station when he noticed his father arriving there.

Since then he was missing. Sources said he was spotted at Pillaiyarpalayam and also at Thirupathikundram last night. He was found dead at an isolated spot at Thirupathikundram around five km from here. No injuries or blood stations were found on the body. Siva Kanchi police are making investigations.

When presspersons went to the Government Hospital, they were informed that the body was sent home after postmortem. However, it had not reached home even at 5.00 pm.

Neighbours said that the family had shifted to the present house only two months ago.

t is also reported that the boy had already been mortgaged for Rs. 4,000 and after that amount was paid off, he was once again mortgaged for Rs. 3,000 to the handloom owner.

Some of the local residents of Pillaiyarpalayam, inhabited only by weavers, were loud in their protests and wanted

to know the fact behind the death of the boy. They urged that the truth behind the death of the `bonded labourer'.

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Section  : Southern States
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