New Delhi, May 31: A Delhi NGO that had rescued a Sahebganj girl from the clutches of her abusive employer in the national capital last year has sought the Jharkhand government’s intervention after it emerged that the victim was being threatened to take back her complaint.
Shakti Vahini wrote to the state chief secretary and director-general of police a week ago, requesting them to probe and find the people, who had threatened the tribal girl and made her sign on a blank paper when she had gone to her village earlier this month.
The 18-year-old, who belongs to the Murmu community in Bartoli village, is currently staying at a rehabilitation centre in Sahebganj. In Delhi, she used to work as a domestic maid in the bungalow of Vandana Dhir, a former employee of a French MNC, at Vasant Kunj. On September 30, 2013, neighbours heard her screams and alerted police and Shakti Vahini, who rescued her in a battered state.
Subsequently, she told police that Dhir used to regularly beat her up with knives, stick and brooms. She was given minimal food and kept almost naked so that she could not run away.
“The girl had gone to her home early this month when two unidentified men came on a bike and asked her to withdraw the case against her previous employer. She was asked to sign on a blank paper. They said she would get money if she did as told. The girl and her family were so scared that she signed on the paper,” said a member of Mahila Samakhya, the NGO who is now looking after the girl. Rishikant, a member of Shakti Vahini, agreed.
“The girl has contacted the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of her home district (Sahebganj), but the two men, who obtained her signature, have not been identified yet. We want Jharkhand to take up the matter seriously and give all details to Delhi police,” Rishikant added.
However, Jharkhand DGP Rajeev Kumar said that he was yet to receive any letter from the NGO. The girl, who hails from a very poor family, spent around two weeks at Safdarjung Hospital after
being rescued. Her wounds had badly infected with maggots forming on a deep gash on her forehead when she was taken to the hospital.
The victim’s mother works as daily wage labourer and has four other children. Fifty-year-old Dhir was arrested when the case came to light, but was later released on bail. Her company, however, sacked her.