A seven-year-old girl was rescued by Kacheuda police in Hyderabad after she was allegedly physically and mentally tortured by a couple, who had employed her as a domestic help.
The police rescued the child after a tip-off by Balala Hakkula Sangam (BHS), a child rights organisation in the city. A team led by Kacheguda Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) S Sudhakar carried out the arrests.
When they entered the house, the police found the girl with injuries all over her body, including some, which suggested that she may have been branded with a hot object. Her lips were also swollen, presumably from being physically assaulted.
According to media reports, the authorities suspect that the girl may have been living with the couple for the last four years. They are also determining if she may have been sexually assaulted.
The girl was sent to a government hospital for initial treatment and later shifted to a private hospital in the city.
The police are also examining the role of the biological mother, who they said sent her child to the couple to work as a domestic help. A case has been registered under the Juvenile Justice Act and further investigation is underway.
Achyuta Rao from the BHS said that the couple claimed that the 7-year-old was their own child but could not prove so.
"We demand that the couple should be arrested and the state government should care for the rescued child and the children of the couple to prevent them from experiencing further trauma. The rescued girl should be given medical treatment," he said.
He also thanked the police for their swift response after being alerted about the incident.
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