Gurugram Horror: Minor Domestic Help Starved, Harassed; Accused Booked Under POSCO

A Gurugram couple was arrested on Wednesday for torturing a 13-year-old girl. The girl was working at the couple's home as a house help. Police have identified the accused as Manish Khattar (36) and Kamaljeet Kaur (34). The incident came to light after a team of cops along with Sakhi officials rescued the minor on Tuesday. They found injuries on the minor's feet, hands and mouth.  

The accused were produced before a city court on Tuesday after Pinky Malik, the Sakhi centre in-charge, filed a police complaint. Later, the court sent Khattar to two-day police remand and his wife to judicial custody. 

According to the complaint filed by Malik, the minor girl was hired as a domestic help through an agency. The couple made her work at home and beat her. It is alleged that she was not allowed to sleep for several nights and the couple did not give her food for many days. 

Eyewitness narrates brutality 

An eyewitness, while talking to Republic, claimed, "The couple used to beat the minor every day and her hands were often found to be cut by blades. She wasn't given food to eat. In the chilly winter of December, she was made to stand without clothes for the whole night on the balcony. She told me many times about her pain." 

According to reports, the minor girl has been admitted to a hospital and the Jharkhand government has stepped forward to bear her medical expenses. She is undergoing treatment and her condition is stable, according to sources. 

The New Colony police station has registered an FIR against the Gurugram couple under several sections including sections 323 (causing hurt), 342 (wrongful confinement) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and the POCSO Act.