Fourteen bonded labourers were rescued from a wood cutting unit here and issued release certificates on Thursday.
The bonded labourers - two men, two children below 10 years of age and 10 women - were rescued by Tiruchengode Revenue officials along with an NGO Rural Women Development Trust here on Wednesday.
According to officials, the labourers hail from a village in Tiruvanamalai and has been working at the wood cutting unit for close to two years.
ADVERTISEMENT
The labourers were not paid salaries after a few initial months and even the children were employed.
On Thursday, Tiruchengode Revenue District Officer Maniraj issued release certificates to them and offered compensation of ₹20,000 to each person through bank accounts. They were sent to their native village in a bus. The police have registered a case against the unit owner.