Housewife arrested for torturing minor maid

Mumbai, Aug 22 (PTI) In a shocking case, a 10-year old
girl was allegedly beaten up by a Mumbai housewife who was
accused of pouring boiled water on her hand and hurting an
eye, charges denied by the woman after she was arrested by
police.

Urvashi Dhanorkar(32), mother of a child artist, was
accused of torturing and assaulting her minor domestic help
Rameshwari Jadhav in suburban Andheri for "stealing" food,
causing injuries to one of her eyes and arm, Amboli police
station senior inspector K Ghamande said.

As she was led by the police, Urvashi said she was a
"victim of circumstances". She claimed that the the girl's
eye had swollen due to a honeybee bite. Her lawyer said the
girl had accidentally opened the hot water tap and her hand
was hurt.

The incident has evoked sharp reaction from various
quarters with Maharashtra Labour Minister Nawab Malik saying
the government would ensure that the victim gets justice.

Urvashi was arrested late Friday night from her residence
after a complaint was registered against her. She was produced
before a local court on Saturday which granted her bail on a
personal bond of Rs 10,000.

"We will set an example by punishing her and also appeal
to people to inform the government if there are any more child
labourers in their housing societies and locality," Malik
said.

According to police, the family brought the victim to
Mumbai in June from Amravati in Eastern Maharashtra on the
pretext of adoption and promising her education.

Urvashi has been booked under relevant sections of the
Indian Penal Code, the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation)
Act and the Juvenile Justice Act.

The girl had eye injuries and burns on her hand. "Since
the last 15 days, the victim was being troubled by Urvashi.
She was very harsh on the girl and abused her on several
occasions," Ghamande said.

"Urvashi alleged that the girl had stolen food. Last
night, some neighbours saw her crying. Subsequently, they
helped her in lodging a complaint at the police station,"
he said.

A police team then went to Urvashi's house in Raheja
Classic building in Amboli and arrested her. PTI VM