GUWAHATI: An Assam doctor and his wife, who is a college principal, were arrested by the police days after they had allegedly poured hot water on their 12-year-old domestic help.
Dr Siddhi Prasad Deuri of the Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh and his wife Mitali Konwar, who is the principal of Moran College near Dibrugarh, were arrested by the police at Raha in central Assam’s Nagaon district on Saturday night.
They were booked under relevant Sections of the Indian Penal Code, Child and Adolescent Labour Prohibition Act and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.
The couple had gone into hiding when pressure was being built on the government by various organisations for action against the duo. The accused were purportedly travelling from New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal when they were arrested.
The doctor had allegedly poured hot water on the boy when the latter was asleep. His wife was a witness to the incident but she allegedly did nothing to get him treated. Earlier, the couple’s son and daughter were arrested by the police. They were at home when the incident occurred.
Dibrugarh Superintendent of Police Thube Prateek Vijay Kumar told this newspaper the accused would be produced in the court on Sunday.
“We are going ahead based on the child’s statement and circumstantial evidence. Hot water was poured on his back,” Kumar said.
He said the minor was with the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Dibrugarh and recovering.
The incident came to the fore when the CWC, Dibrugarh rescued the boy on August 29 after it had received a video from an anonymous source. On being informed by the CWC, the police had visited the couple’s residence but found the man being administered saline. They had asked him and his wife to report to the local police station at the earliest but they had gone into hiding.
Social activist and member of CWC, Dibrugarh, Arpana Borah, who had lodged an FIR in connection with the case, heaved a sigh of relief as the accused had been arrested.
“We want justice for the boy. The couple’s arrest is the first step towards getting justice for him. We thank all organisations which stood by the boy for justice,” she said.
Earlier, various organisations demanded action against the couple including the woman’s termination of service. On Sunday, a group of women staged a protest in front of Dibrugarh police station demanding exemplary punishment for the accused.