All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front and People’s Watch filed a complaint with the Tamil Nadu director general of police in Chennai on June 23, after which the local police began an investigation into the cases filed by the Irula women.

Activists have urged the government to conduct a detailed investigation into the case and overall exploitation of downtrodden and vulnerable communities as bonded labourers across Tamil Nadu. They insisted that steps should be taken to eradicate bonded labour.

Though bonded labour systems still exist in large numbers, the state has done little to remedy the situation. This neglectful state of affairs has allowed organised networks of those employing bonded labourers to take advantage of social hierarchies.