Extreme poverty has compelled poor families living in Mudheni village of Shivpuri district to mortgage their children to shepherds in order to have a steady source of income.
Speaking to ANI, a local named Kailash said, "We have lent our children to shepherds in Rajasthan for six months. They give us money in return."
Another villager reverberated that he had lent his son to a shepherd for four months in exchange for money.
Local authorities, however, refuted the claims made by the locals.
"We took the statement from the villagers and they denied having made any such comments. If something comes up during further inquiry, we will look into it," an official said.
Authorities also said they will extend the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) scheme to them so that they have a stable income.
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