13 Tribal Children Rescued From Bonded Labour in Chhattisgarh, 8 Arrested

In a disturbing case exposing the harsh realities faced by vulnerable tribal communities, 13 children belonging to the Baiga tribe , classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), were rescued from bonded labour in Chhattisgarh’s Kabirdham district. Police have arrested eight persons , including alleged traffickers and employers, in connection with the case.

The rescue operation was carried out on Wednesday after police received information about minors being forced into labour in villages under the Bhoramdeo region. According to officials, the children, aged between 8 and 15 years , had been taken away from their homes months ago and forced to work without wages.

Kabirdham Superintendent of Police Dharmendra Singh Chhavai said the accused allegedly targeted poor families in Thuhapani village and lured parents with small sums of money and false promises. The children were then transported to different villages where they were made to graze cattle and care for livestock for long hours every day.

Investigators revealed that the children worked from early morning till evening under difficult conditions. While their parents reportedly received between ₹1,000 and ₹2,000 per month , the children themselves were never paid.

Police said one of the key accused, identified as Ravi Yadav , allegedly played a major role in convincing families to send the children away nearly six to seven months ago. Authorities have so far identified seven of the arrested accused as Ravi Yadav, Ramu Yadav, Badhi Yadav, Kanhaiya Yadav, Ramphal Yadav, Ram Bihari Yadav and Rupesh Yadav.

A case has been registered under laws related to human trafficking, bonded labour, child labour and the Juvenile Justice Act . Officials said further investigation is underway to determine whether a larger trafficking network was operating in the region.

The rescue has once again highlighted the dangerous intersection of extreme poverty, exploitation and child trafficking in remote tribal belts. Child rights activists say vulnerable families are often trapped by middlemen who exploit financial distress and lack of awareness.

Manish Sharma , senior director of the NGO Association for Voluntary Action, praised the police action and said such trafficking networks prey on marginalised tribal communities with promises of money and employment.