14-yr old babysitter alleges torture and abuse by Gurugram couple, case filed; Check details here

A 14-year-old girl from Jharkhand was tortured and allegedly sexually assaulted by a Gurugram couple for months. The couple, who work in private companies, hired the 14-year-old to take care of their three-and-a-half-year-old daughter. A joint team of police and a one-stop crisis centre Sakhi rescued the girl from New Colony on Tuesday. 

According to the complaint filed by Sakhi centre in-charge Pinky Malik, the minor was hired via a placement agency. The girl had several injuries on her hands, feet, and mouth and her mouth was completely swollen, police officials told the news agency PTI. 

The couple did not give her any food and the minor used to eat leftover food thrown in the dustbin, she told the police. The girl is in critical condition and being treated at a Gurugram hospital. The couple made her work and also beat her mercilessly daily. 

According to a preliminary investigation, the couple hired the girl five months back to take care of their toddler daughter. During this time, the husband and wife used to beat her daily and she was also tortured sexually. New Colony Police Station has registered an FIR in the case under sections 323 (causing hurt), and 342 (wrongful confinement) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and the POCSO Act. 

Activist and documentary filmmaker Deepika Narayan Bharadwaj said there were bruises all over the teenager's body and she was in a terrible state. She told India Today, "She was beaten up every single day in the last five months. They did not give her a penny." Bharadwaj had sought help for the minor from various organisations on Twitter. 

She further said that the couple has been identified as Manish Kaur and Kamaljeet Kaur and the man confessed to burning the girl. Bharadwaj further mentioned the couple were remorseless. 

New Colony police station SHO Dinkar said that they are verifying the facts of the case and the couple shall be arrested soon. The SHO told the news agency, “We are verifying the facts and the couple will be arrested soon.”

(With PTI, India Today inputs)

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