New Delhi: An eight-year-old girl employed as a domestic help was allegedly assaulted in East Delhi’s Pandav Nagar by her employers following which she was rescued by the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW).
The minor girl, approached neighbours for help, who called up the DCW helpline.
“Two brothers living in Pandav Nagar area of east Delhi with their sister, brutally beat an eight-year-old girl, who was hired to work as domestic help. She was made to work the whole day and was not even given food on time,” the DCW said.
On Thursday evening, the girl was beaten so mercilessly that there was a swelling in her eye and there were several marks on her body. The girl was so traumatised that she ran to a neighbour’s house crying, the women’s panel said.
Delhi police is probing the case but the three brothers and sister have abandoned their home and disappeared. The person who had called the 181 Women Helpline informed DCW that the three accused were residents of Bihar and were studying at a private university. He informed that the accused had brought the victim with them from Bihar about a year ago to do household chores.
According to the neighbour, their treatment towards the girl was not good right from the beginning.
The victim’s parents have been informed about the incident and they are coming from Bihar, the women’s panel said.
“The girl was so shaken that she did not utter a single word at the police station,” the DCW said.
Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 prohibits “the engagement of children in all occupations and of adolescents in hazardous occupations and processes” wherein adolescents refer to those under 18 years; children those under 14.
The Act also imposed fine on anyone who employs or permits adolescents to work. Dismal working conditions: Domestic workers represent the more marginalised communities in society. According to an estimate by Bachpan Bachao Andolan, 25-30 lakh houses employ child labour as servants in NCR.
