Delhi woman arrested for torturing maid

A woman was arrested here for physically torturing her young maid servant.

Vandana Dheer, 50, was arrested Tuesday morning from her south Delhi residence in Vasant Kunj for torturing her servant, said a police official. Dheer lives with her 85-year-old mother Sheela.

Dheer was booked under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 342 (wrongful confinement) of the Indian Penal Code, and Section 16 of the Bonded Labour Act.

Dheer who works in Uttar Pradesh's Noida-based private company at a senior level, was produced in court that sent her to one-day police custody.

Rishikant of Shakti Vahini told IANS they received inputs around 12.30 p.m. Monday of an employer torturing a maid servant for the past few months.

"We shared the inputs with Delhi Commission for Women and approached Vasant Kunj North police station," said Rishikant.

According to him, when he along with police reached Dheer's ground floor house at Sector-A, Vasant Kunj around 4 p.m., a woman in her late 80s answered after several knocks.

"The woman, later identified as Sheela, however, did not allow us to enter. We waited and gained entry around 8 p.m. when Vandana returned. We then rescued the girl," said Rishikant.

He said the girl was not able to speak properly because of injury marks all over the body. He added the girl from Jharkhand was hired from a placement agency in June this year.

"We rushed her to the Safdarjung hospital where her condition is now stable. Doctors informed us she was attacked with sharp weapons, broom and sticks," said Rishikant.