Minor girl hired as help brutalised, tortured by couple in Gurugram, held

A 14-year-old domestic worker was rescued from her employer's home in Gurgaon last night, where she was brutally assaulted for several months.

The couple in question hired the 14-year-old girl about five months ago to care for her 3-year-old daughter. However, when she was hired, the girl was subjected to horrifying mistreatment by the couple.

According to the official complaint filed by the Sakhi center in charge, Pinky Malik, the underage girl hails from Ranchi in Jharkhand and was initially recruited through a placement agency.

The girl was reportedly rescued after a complaint was filed by a Gurugram-based NGO. The NGO contacted the police after a Twitter thread mentioning the girl's condition went viral earlier this week.

The images shared by the activist show the girl's face swollen with bruises. In addition, the girl also suffered multiple burns on her cheeks, arms, forehead and lips.

I just met the girl. Short of words. She's shared with me unimaginable horror. Blades, sticks, hot tongue - i don't think anything was left in assaulting this child. All this for - not finishing work on time. She wasn't paid a single penny for months of work @KanoongoPriyank pic.twitter.com/gUo7DRGwUI

— Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (@DeepikaBhardwaj) February 7, 2023

Girl has cut and burn injures

Police said the couple have private jobs and had hired the 14-year-old boy from a placement agency about four or five months ago to care for her three-year-old son.

A police officer, who requested anonymity, said: “According to the complaint, the girl hails from Jharkhand. Supposedly, her partner used to mercilessly beat her for not working properly. She has several cut and burn wounds, suspected to have been inflicted with a hot razor or tongs."

https://twitter.com/DeepikaBhardwaj/status/1622928932331995136

Initial investigation suggests the couple would starve and beat the girl, accusing her of "not working properly" and stealing food. “They gave him no food for days. The teenager used to eat the food scraps from the garbage can,” an official said.

An FIR has been registered against the couple under sections 323 (causing harm), 342 (unjustified confinement) of the Indian Penal Code and the relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and the POCSO at the New Colony Police Station.

“The man has been arrested and legal proceedings are also being initiated against his wife,” confirmed a police officer familiar with the investigation.

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