Mob attacks Noida society after help claims assault

Protesters barge in, throw stones, vandalise property; residents left panic-stricken

July 13, 2017 01:00 am | Updated 01:00 am IST - Noida

Police in action against villagers who gathered at a housing society to protest after a domestic help was allegedly beaten up by her employers on suspicion of theft, in Noida on July 12, 2017.

Police in action against villagers who gathered at a housing society to protest after a domestic help was allegedly beaten up by her employers on suspicion of theft, in Noida on July 12, 2017.

Tension erupted in a Noida residential society in Sector 78 on Wednesday morning when a mob barged into the premises and vandalised property following allegations of a domestic help being beaten up and held hostage by a family. The residents, however, alleged that the help, Zohra (28), had stolen ₹10,000 from a house and fled when enquired about the same.

The incident terrorised the families living in the complex and spread panic in other societies. The people blamed the developer, the Noida police and the Noida Authority for the situation.

Early morning ruckus

Around 6.45 a.m. on Wednesday, Zohra’s family and several other domestic helps gathered outside the main gate of the society and demanded entry. When the guards refused to do so, the protesters, many carrying iron rods, forcibly entered the premises and started throwing stones at the buildings. Some of them even barged into the house of the family that complained against the maid. There are also allegations of firing inside the society. Terrorised families were forced to stay indoors. Most residents could not go to their offices and children had to skip school.

The protesters also blocked the main Dadri-Surajpur-Chhalera (DSC) Road at Barola and halted traffic towards Noida Phase 2 Industrial Area. Noida Superintendent of Police Arun Kumar Singh said that a large number of policemen were dispatched to the scene.

Two FIRs lodged

“The protests were in support of a domestic help who was allegedly beaten up by a resident. We are probing all angles,” Mr. Singh said.

The SP said that two FIRs have been lodged. “One FIR has been lodged on the basis of the maid’s husband complaint claiming assault while the other FIR has been lodged for attack on Mahagun Moderne society. Nobody has been arrested so far,” he added.

When asked if the maid was held hostage, the SP said, “She was not held hostage. Even her husband said in the FIR that she was hiding to protect her life.”

‘Unpaid salary’

According to the family, which had hired the help, Zohra was caught stealing and had confessed to her crime. The maid, however, said her employers got angry because she asked for her unpaid salary. “I used to work from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. My two months’ salary was due. When I asked for payment, they accused me of stealing. They beat me up and threatened me,” she said.

Her husband, Abdul Sattar, said that when his wife did not return home on Tuesday, he went to the society with some policemen.

Stolen money

“They denied entry to me, but let the cops in. The policemen confirmed that my wife had gone inside the society, but there was no CCTV and biometric record of her exit. On Wednesday morning, a few people went with me to the society and asked where my wife was. They took her out; she was in a semi-conscious state. An argument ensued with the security guards and they lathi-charged a few people, after which more people gathered and started vandalising the premises. We didn’t call them,” Sattar said.

The residents had a different version. “We had a suspicion that the maid was stealing money and yesterday [Tuesday] we asked if it were true. We told her that we had video footage of her stealing money. Thinking it to be true, she accepted that she had stolen ₹10,000 and asked us to adjust it in her salary. We refused to do that and told her we would report the matter to the facility,” said a resident, requesting anonymity.

Missing maid

“We asked her to come with us, but she ran away and the same was captured in CCTV cameras. She left her phone at my house. I immediately went to the facility, informed the people there and submitted the phone. I was assured the matter would be taken care of,” he added.

“Around 9 p.m., two women came to my home along with the husband of the maid and two guards. They asked us about the maid and I told them about the incident, when suddenly her husband asked me If I had taken her phone. I wonder how the husband knew about the phone if his wife had not gone back home,” he said.

“Around 10:30 p.m., her husband came again with two policemen. I told the cops about the incident and they shouted at the husband, asking him not to disturb us. They told the husband to search for his wife outside or file a complaint as she was not at my house. We slept assuming the issue was over, but in the morning they came in groups and entered my house by breaking the door glass. It was terrifying. I am worried about the safety of my family and children,” he added.

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