HYDERABAD: An alleged case of child labour and custodial torture of a minor has come to the fore after the District Child Protection Unit of Women Development and Child Welfare (DCPU), Rangareddy unit, lodged a complaint with the Raidurgam police against DCP AR Srinivas for employing a 17-year-old girl as a housemaid.
The issue came to the fore after the minor returned home for a break but was allegedly called back by the officer’s support staff and questioned about a theft in the house on October 20. She was then taken to the police station and beaten up to confess to the theft of `35,000 from the officer’s house.
Later, the minor was let off and the matter came to the notice of a local NGO, that wrote to the Women Development and Child Welfare officials seeking intervention.
The head office directed the DCPU to rescue the child. The minor was rescued on Tuesday and sent to the Nimboliadda home for children.
According to the DCPU, the minor stated that she took up the job due to her father’s ill health. She informed that she had worked at the home of the officer for three months for `7,000 per month. However, when she wanted to go back home, she was coerced into accepting a crime she had not committed, the DCPU officials said.
Meanwhile, Raidurgam police said that they had followed protocol. “We received a complaint on Sunday and registered a case. The minor came to the police station and confessed to the crime. She said the stolen money was with her friend. The money was later found in his possession,” said SHO S Ravinder.