Dying for a living

M. Natarajan and Dharani, the parents of N. Jeevanandam, with a portrait of their son who died under mysterious circumstances on August 21, 1999, at the age of 14. -

N.JEEVANANDAM, 14, died in mysterious circumstances at his workplace on August 21, 1999. His parents, M. Natarajan and Dharani, are convinced that he was murdered. They have been running from pillar to post for the last three years, to put the alleged culprits behind bars and get a compensation for the loss of their only son. They have even sold their only property - 55 cents of farmland - and spent over Rs.60,000 "chasing justice".

Jeevanandam dropped out of school after Class V. Fed up with the frequent dry spells and falling income from agriculture, they wanted their son to learn weaving and planned to get him a loom as soon as he became proficient in it.

After making inquiries, they sent him to Sama Naikkar of Dusi Mamandur village, near Kancheepuram. Sama and his son, Kumaravel, owned three looms and employed three children and three adults. Jeevanandam worked with Sama for three-and-a-half years for an initial monthly salary of Rs.50, which was later increased to Rs.60. Like most child workers he worked at least 12 hours a day and even longer during the peak months. According to Natarajan, his son complained that he was beaten and scolded by his employers, but did not take it seriously because he wanted his son to learn the job well. But when his protests increased, Natarajan decided to send Jeevanandam to another weaver.

When Jeevanandam went to Sama's house to collect his previous month's wages, it is said that he had a heated argument with Sama. An enraged Sama is said to have beaten Jeevanandam, along with some other men in the house. About an hour after Jeevanandam went to collect his wages, Natarajan was called to Sama's house. There, in a room, its floor covered with bloodstains, his son was "hanging by a rope from the ceiling".

Natarajan lodged a complaint with the Dusi police station. The first information report (FIR) stated that Jeevanandam died in "suspicious circumstances". The post-mortem report pointed to a "one cm linear fracture on the skull with oozing of blood" and no cuts or marks on the neck region. This, said Natarajan, showed that death resulted from blows to the head and it was not suicide as was being made out.

Natarajan then filed a petition in the Madras High Court under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (murder). Sama offered Rs.15,000 as compensation for an out-of-court settlement, but Natarajan refused. In November 2000, the High Court directed the Dusi police station to conduct an inquiry under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. Nothing has happened since. Though two years have passed Natarajan is determined to get justice. Jeevanandam's body has been buried and not cremated as it can be exhumed if need be, says the distraught father.

Even more heart-rending is the mysterious death of 14-year-old R. Thamizharasan on September 6, 2001. Bonded to Samandam, for a loan of Rs. 3,000, Tamizharasan was working on Samandam's loom for a year before his death.

According to his parents, Rajendran and Padmavathy, Thamizharasan began working since he was five years old and could follow instructions. As money was needed to pay advance for a house they were renting, Rajendran decided to send Thamizharasan to another master weaver. From the new master, Samandam, he took an advance that was more than what was needed to redeem Thamizharasan from his earlier master weaver.

Samandam had four children, including Thamizharasan, working on the three looms he owned. Thamizharasan was beaten every day for slow work, long lunch breaks or simply not concentrating on work. Said Rajendran: "It was only because of the loan that I forced my son to work." One day, Samandam accused Thamizharasan of theft. Unable to bear the mental and physical torture, Thamizharasan joined another weaver and started to work with him from September 1, 2001.

On September 4, as Thamizharasan was returning from work, Samandam waylaid him and allegedly detained him in his house. After 24 hours, during which he was allegedly tortured, Samandam handed over Thamizharasan to the Vishnu Kanchi police station on a complaint of theft. He is said to have been beaten to confess to the theft. On September 6, Thamizharasan's body was found near the Panchayat Union School. Samandam was arrested, only to be released the same evening. The police have accused Thamizharasan's three friends for the death.

Rajendran is heartbroken at the loss of his only son. Says the despairing father: "This is probably the price I had to pay for sending my son to work at such a tender age. But I had no choice."