Tribal woman's son found dead after being left as collateral for loan in Andhra Pradesh

In a tragic case of exploitation and abuse, a woman from the Yanadi tribal community in Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati district was forced to leave her young son behind as collateral for a Rs 25,000 loan.

Weeks later, her worst fears were confirmed when the boy’s body was found buried in Tamil Nadu’s Kanchipuram district.

The woman, identified as Anakamma, along with her husband Chenchaiah and their three children, had been working as bonded labourers for a duck rearer in Tirupati. The employer reportedly held them in servitude over an unpaid loan. Even after Chenchaiah passed away, the duck rearer refused to release the family, insisting that the loan remained unpaid.

Anakamma and her children were made to work under harsh conditions, with long hours and minimal pay. When she pleaded to leave, the employer demanded Rs 45,000 — including Rs 20,000 in interest — and insisted she leave one child behind as a guarantee. With no other choice, she complied.

She managed to speak with her son over the phone occasionally, and he repeatedly begged her to come for him, describing the heavy workload. Her last conversation with him was on April 12.

In late April, after managing to gather the money, Anakamma contacted the employer to take her son back. Initially evasive, he eventually claimed the boy had run away. Disturbed by the conflicting stories, she sought help from local tribal leaders and approached the police.

Following an investigation, the employer admitted that the boy had died and had been buried near his in-laws’ residence in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. The police exhumed the body on Tuesday, as a grieving Anakamma wept beside the site.

The duck rearer, his wife, and son have been arrested, and authorities have filed a case under multiple laws, including the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, the Child Labour Act, the Juvenile Justice Act, the SC/ST Atrocities Act, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

“There is CCTV footage to show the boy was taken to a hospital. The duck-rearer's family says the boy died of jaundice. But he was buried secretly and his family was not informed. We are taking a serious view of that,” Tirupati Collector Venkateswar told NDTV.

Activists point out that the Yanadi community is especially at risk of bonded labour, with 50 individuals rescued in recent times. “Usually, an advance is used to trap the victims,” one activist said.

A post-mortem is underway as the investigation continues.