A 16-year-old girl was rescued from Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh after being illegally confined for over a year by the family that employed her. The teenager was made to work from 6 am to 2 am, repeatedly burnt with a hot iron and a heated knife, starved for days and prevented from meeting her parents.

Saira (name changed), employed as a domestic worker, was subjected to physical abuse throughout her confinement. Her body bore multiple injuries and old scars, including burn marks across her back and deep wounds on her head. She was rescued following a complaint by the Association for Voluntary Action (AVA). On the directions of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), she has been admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for medical treatment.

The case came to light after AVA received information about the minor girl. AVA is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) partner of Just Rights for Children (JRC), Bharat’s largest network of more than 300 NGOs working on child protection. Saira had been working as a domestic help at a house in Shaheen Bagh for nearly a year. During this period, she was kept away from her parents, who were repeatedly denied access to their daughter.

Acting on the complaint, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Kalkaji, was informed of the matter. On 3 November, the SDM’s office constituted a joint team of officials from the Labour Department and Shaheen Bagh Police Station. The team raided the house, but Saira was not found there. The investigation revealed that the house owner had sent her to Moradabad. The family claimed that she had been looking after their elderly mother and that she would be brought before the authorities the following day.

Saira was subsequently produced at the SDM’s office, where her statement was recorded. Directions were issued to initiate action under the Child Labour and Juvenile Justice Acts, and she was sent for a medical examination. The following day, her statement was recorded by the police before a magistrate under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and she was produced before the CWC.

Dhananjay Tingal, National Coordinator of AVA, said: “This case exposes the horrifying and often hidden face of domestic child labour, where children from economically disadvantaged families are employed in households on the promise of a better future and education. Once separated from their families, these children often become victims of exploitation and violence, with their suffering remaining unseen. The brutality inflicted on this young girl is deeply disturbing. However, the prompt intervention by the police, administration and CWC ensured that she was rescued from this inhuman torture. Their action is commendable.”

Several Wounds Found on Her Body

The account Saira shared before the CWC is deeply disturbing. According to her statement, she was repeatedly burnt with a hot iron on her back, hands and hips. She was also attacked with a heated knife. Several wounds were found on her body, and her entire back bore burn marks caused by a hot knife. She also had several deep wounds on her head, and her face had been scratched and torn in multiple places.

Saira told the CWC that she was once made to go without food for three consecutive days and was not even given water. Her employer, whom she called “Madam”, beat her over even minor mistakes. When she sustained injuries, she was not taken to a doctor but given medicines bought from a medical store.

Injuries Kept Hidden from Her Parents

Saira was kept away from her parents throughout the year. Whenever they asked to speak to their daughter, the woman made excuses to avoid letting them meet or speak to her. Over the entire year, Saira was allowed to speak to her parents over the phone only two or three times. Even during these calls, her face was covered so that her parents could not see the injuries.

When Saira was first taken to the SDM’s office to record her statement, she was too frightened to speak. She had been threatened that if she disclosed anything to anyone, she would be killed, stuffed into a sack and dumped somewhere, without anyone ever finding out what had happened to her. Before the CWC, however, she was able to speak openly about the abuse. As she recounted her ordeal, she broke down in tears.

Taking serious note of her condition, the CWC directed that Saira be admitted to AIIMS for medical treatment. The CWC also expressed shock at the severity of the abuse, observing that it was difficult to comprehend how the girl had survived such prolonged torture. The AVA team played a crucial role in securing her rescue and facilitating the administrative and legal proceedings in the case, and the CWC appreciated the organisation’s efforts.

Forced to Work 20 Hours a Day, Given Leftover Food

Saira said she was made to work continuously from 6 am until 2 am, performing a range of household chores, including sweeping, mopping, washing utensils and cleaning the house. She was given tea at around 11 am and was often served leftover food. For nearly a year of work, she was paid a mere Rs 18,000. Saira had been placed in the household through another woman.

Wants to Return to School and Become a Teacher

Despite enduring such horrific abuse, Saira has not given up on her hopes and aspirations. She told the CWC that she wants the woman responsible for the abuse to be punished severely, and that she wants to study and dreams of becoming a teacher when she grows up.

For more information, please contact: Jitendra Parmar (8595950825)