In a distressing incident, an Indian army officer and his wife in Assam’s Dima Hasao district have been charged with severely abusing their underage domestic helper.
The 16-year-old victim, subjected to six months of torment, bore physical injuries including broken teeth, burn marks, a fractured nose, and deep cuts on her tongue, according to reports in Indian media. Shockingly, she was often kept without clothing and forced to eat from a garbage bin when she requested food.
The young girl narrated a harrowing account of her ordeal, detailing how she was locked in a room, physically assaulted, and even made to lick her own blood after being thrashed. The accused couple initially claimed her injuries were due to a fall down the stairs, but a comprehensive medical examination contradicted this claim.
The accused, identified as Major Shailendra Yadav and his wife, Kimmy Ralson, had employed the minor as a domestic helper when they were posted in Himachal Pradesh. Upon returning to Assam, the girl disclosed her suffering to her family, prompting a swift police complaint and subsequent arrests.
Authorities have filed charges under the stringent POCSO and SC/ST laws, along with additional allegations of assault, unlawful labour practices, and slavery. The victim’s mother expressed shock at her daughter’s condition, describing her as appearing much older due to the physical abuse.
As the accused were being escorted to the police station, a woman approached and slapped the wife, demonstrating the public outrage over this disturbing incident.
This case has sparked local protests, with demands for exemplary punishment for the accused couple.
