Noida: 14-year-old help says beaten, burnt in custody, police told to file report

The girl was reportedly released on May 16, but detained again the next day, this time with her 17-year-old brother. The two were finally released on the night of May 22, following the intervention of an NGO, Bachpan Bachao Andolan, and an order from the Child Welfare Commission.

The CWC, on May 23, also ordered a medical examination.

Citing “alleged cigarette burn and electric spark”, the medico legal case report, dated May 26, lists two “brown-shaped circular discolorations” near her left and right wrists, linking these to “burn marks”. It also lists abrasions on the right forearm near the elbow and three discoloured abrasions on both wrists. “Duration of all above injuries is more than 10 days old and is caused by (a) hard and blunt object,” it concludes.

While Noida SSP Ajay Pal refused to comment, a spokesperson for his office maintained “the allegations were false”. Asked about the injuries, the spokesperson added, “There was a matter of theft and she was questioned. If there is truth to her allegations, the matter will be probed”.

Anil Kumar Sahi, SHO at the Sector 39 police station where the girl was reportedly detained, denied the allegations and claimed the girl was not a minor. “We interrogated her after which she was released the same day… There are no injuries… People lie about their age,” he said. But the MLC report stated she is a minor.

Following a complaint from the NGO, NALSA director Surinder Rathi, on May 24, directed the Noida district legal services authority to “procure (a) report from (the) SSP” and consider “criminal action”.

The girl’s father, a vegetable vendor, said they are yet to file a police complaint as they fear harassment. The girl’s family said that a few days before she was detained, her mother had stopped working as a domestic help with a family citing ill health. The girl alleged that the employer came to their house and demanded that she work as their domestic help instead. She said her family protested but “the man put me on his scooter and took me away in front of our neighbours”.