The Karnataka Police have arrested a coupleon the charges of keeping two children as bonded laborers after their father died without repaying a loan in Ballary district, police said on Friday.

The incident took place in the Srirampura Colony in Ballary city. The arrested couple has been identified as Dadu and Munni. According to police, the workers of the city Women Congress wing conducted raids along with police and freed the two kids.

Police said Nagaraj, the father of the children, took a loan of Rs 30,000 from the accused persons. He died due to illness without clearing the debt. Nagaraj's wife Sunitha worked as a housemaid and took care of her four children.

Meanwhile, the accused couple exerted pressure on Sunitha to repay the loan taken by her husband. When Sunitha expressed helplessness in returning the loan, the couple forcefully took her 15-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter to their home.

The couple kept the two minors in their home and made them work. The rescued children were sent back to their mother, and the Ballary police were further investigating the case. (AA/IANS)