The Hindu : Other States / Madhya Pradesh News : Maid rescued from torture

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Monday, Jul 19, 2004

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Other States - Madhya Pradesh

Maid rescued from torture

By Our Staff Correspondent

BHOPAL, JULY 18. A shocking case of torture of a young girl, who had been kept as a bonded labourer in a house, came to light in the State Capital on Saturday when an anonymous person contacted Childline, an NGO working for children in despair, and informed about the plight of a "minor domestic help".

A team of Childline volunteers swung into action and rescued 11-year-old Kanchan from the clutches of one Mini Daniel, a resident of Padmanabh Nagar, and filed an FIR with the Aish Bagh police station.

The police have registered a case under Sections 294 and 323 of the Indian penal Code as well as relevant Sections of the Juvenile Justice Act 2000 against the accused. The police told The Hindu that no arrests have been made and the case was being investigated.

According to the complaint, Kanchan was brought here a year ago from Singaudi village in Chhindwara district by Ms. Daniel's parents.

The girl was brought here with the assurance to her mother, Ramkali Bai, that she would get Rs. 700 per month.

Kanchan, who looked extremely terrified and scared, told a group of newspersons at the Childline office that she was doing all the domestic chores as well as taking Ms. Daniel's two children to the bus stop and bringing them back home when they returned from school.

She said that in the last few days, Ms. Daniel had started torturing her.

A fortnight ago, she said, a piece of burning camphor was placed on her hand by Ms. Daniel while her two children held her hand because she had committed some small mistake.

On Friday she had allegedly been beaten up by a belt and tortured by an electric iron because she had forgotten to inform Ms. Daneil that there was no flour left in the house.

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