The family members of a 10-year-old domestic worker who was beaten up allegedly by her employers have claimed that she was often hit with hot iron tongs, PTI reported.
Poornima Bagchi, a pilot working with IndiGo Airlines and her husband Kaushik Bagchi, an airline staff member at Vistara, were on Wednesday arrested in Delhi for allegedly assaulting the 10-year-old girl. They were earlier beaten up by the girl’s relatives and residents of the city’s Dwarka area.
Both IndiGo and Vistara have said that they have removed them from duty.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) M Harsha Vardhan said that the girl had been employed as a domestic worker for over a month. The incident came to light after the girl’s aunt saw her being beaten up by the couple on Wednesday morning.
“She was cleaning the balcony,” the girl’s paternal aunt said, according to The Indian Express. “I was seeing her after days and waved at her, but saw Poornima hitting her on the head. When I called her, she said she was beaten up regularly. I was shocked. I told her to leave the house and come with us, but she said her employers would beat her up if she did that.”
The girl had injuries on her eyes and lacerations on her body, according to the police.
The couple let the girl go after a crowd had gathered outside their house. They were standing at the gate of the building when some people from the crowd dragged them out and thrashed them.
The couple was booked under Sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement) of the Indian Penal Code as well as provisions of the Child Labour Act and the Juvenile Justice Act.
“The minor has recorded her statement with the counsellor,” Vardhan said, reported The Indian Express. “She alleged that she was beaten up almost regularly for not working as per the couple’s instructions.”
The girl’s uncle alleged that she was scolded and beaten up earlier as well and was left to starve for the last three-four days and was given stale food to eat, reported PTI.
“Some days ago, the girl was ironing the woman’s uniform and by mistake, she apparently burnt her clothes,” the girl’s uncle told PTI. “She is a 10-year-old child. What do you expect from her? When the accused woman saw this, she burnt the little girl with the same iron.”
On Wednesday, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights asked the New Delhi district magistrate to file a factual report, which would need to include copies of the FIR against the accused persons and the medical status of the girl. The magistrate has been directed to respond within seven days.
Meanwhile, based on a complaint by Poornima Bagchi, a first information report was also registered against unknown persons who had beaten up the couple on Wednesday, reported PTI. The police are identifying the unknown persons seen in the video and have booked them under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 341 (wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!