A South Delhi-based couple has been arrested for allegedly trafficking two minor girls from Jharkhand and forcing them to work as domestic maids at Vasant Vihar in South Delhi on the pretext of good salary.
According to the police, the incident came to light after the girl’s parents — Bhikhu Banda and Pushpa Lukra — filed a complaint.
“Bhiku Banda and Pushpa came to Delhi looking for their daughters as they had not heard from them in the last four to five years. When they did not receive any money or any communication for a very long time, they came here looking for them and met the agent who had employed their daughters,” said a police officer.
They further found that there daughters have been working at a bungalow in Vasant Vihar and approached the local police. We then conducted a raid and rescued the two girls and the couple employing them was arrested, the officer added.
According to police, the arrested persons had confined the two girls in their house and would make them do all the household chores without paying them any money. When the girls asked for money, they were beaten up.
The rescued girls were sent for medical examination and then produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) after which they were sent to Jharkhand, the police said.
The accused — Rajkumar (36) and his wife Anna Lohare (24) — were arrested on Friday. A statement under Section 164 CrPC has also been recorded.
The police said that they have registered a case at Vasant Vihar police station under Sections 363 (punishment for kidnapping), 366 (A) (procreation of minor girl), 367 (kidnapping or abducting in order to subject person to grievous hurt, slavery), 368 (wrongfully concealing or keeping in confinement, kidnapped or abducted person), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) read with 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860.
