Delhi Couple Arrested for Beating, Burning 10-Year-Old Domestic Help with Iron

The accused work at two prominent airlines as pilot and ground staff, respectively.

The police said that the girl ran away from their home on Wednesday, 19 July. When people came to know about her condition, they gathered outside the accused couple's home and confronted them.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint) 

On Wednesday, the Delhi police registered a case against a couple in Dwarka district for allegedly beating up and burning a 10-year-old girl who was employed as a domestic help at their house.

The accused have been identified as Kaushik Bagchi, 36, and Poornima Bagchi, 33. While Kaushik works as a ground staff at an airline, Poornima is a pilot at another airline, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Dwarka, Harsha Vardhan.

The 10-year-old girl bore multiple burn marks on her arms, swollen face, red eyes, and an injury mark on her forehead. She was allegedly burnt with a clothing iron.

The couple has been arrested, and an FIR has been filed under sections pertaining to voluntarily causing hurt, causing hurt by dangerous weapons, wrongful confinement and trafficking, as well as section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

Accused Couple Beaten Up After Plight of Minor Revealed 

The child had been working at the couple's house for at least two months, said police. The matter came to the fore around 9 am on Wednesday when "this was noticed by a relative of the girl," said the DCP (Dwarka) Harsh Vardhan.

This led to a crowd gathering at the residence of the couple and confronting and manhandling them, said the DCP. In a video, the couple can be seen getting beaten up, the woman's hair being pulled and she being slapped and shoved around.

An FIR has been registered by the Delhi Police over the couple being assaulted. "We are identifying the people from the videos in circulation and they will face action," DCP (Dwarka) said.

The DCP said that the minor has been medically examined and has also been "counselled by a counsellor." He said that so far no allegations of sexual harassment or assault have been levelled by the minor.

"She was employed through a relative who works in a house nearby," said the DCP.