Female pilot and her husband are dragged from their home and beaten by a mob in India after ‘beating a 10-year-old they had as a maid’
- Chaotic footage from Wednesday shows an outraged crowd in Delhi’s Dwarka district
- WARNING: This article contains violent and explicit content
A pilot and her husband were dragged from their home and violently attacked by a revenge mob for allegedly abusing a 10-year-old girl they were keeping as a maid in India.
Poornima Bagchi, 33, and her partner Kaushik, 36, reportedly employed the youngster as a housekeeper at their home in the Dwarka area of Delhi.
The girl was said to have worked with them for two months before irate relatives raided the couple’s home, allegedly claiming the child had been left battered and bruised by beatings.
Chaotic footage from Wednesday shows the outraged crowd confronting the pilot, who was seemingly ready to leave for work in her uniform.
Poornima tried to stop the mob from entering her property before being pulled out of the garage by her hair, while Kaushik tried to pry her away from the screaming mob. The local residents then beat the couple in the street.
Poornima tried to stop the mob from entering her house in the Dwarka area of Delhi
The pilot was dragged out of her garage by her hair when her husband desperately tried to pry her away from the barking crowd
The tearful young girl, who had bruises on her face, an eye full of blood and painful-looking burns on her arm, believed to be from an iron, watched the fight unfold.
The pair were attacked by the revenge mob for allegedly abusing a 10-year-old girl (pictured) they allegedly kept as a maid
As the mob attacks the couple, the couple gets separated with men dragging Kaushik away and beating him repeatedly as a group of women continue to pull Poornima’s hair.
Poornima begs the aggressive locals to let her and her husband go as she is flung between them.
After freeing himself, Kaushik runs back to help his wife and manages to separate her from the angry mob and return them to the safety of their gated house.
Harsha M Vardhan, Deputy Commissioner of Police in Dwarka, said: ‘At around 9 am we received a call about a child being abused by her employers.
‘It has been established that a 10-year-old girl has been working as a domestic help at a home for two months. The couple beat her and harassed her. This was noticed by the minor’s family member on Wednesday.
“The suspects have been arrested. An arrest procedure is being carried out. The minor has recorded her statement with the confidential adviser. We are investigating all allegations.”
He added that action will also be taken against the crowd who were filmed beating up the couple.
The Chief of the Delhi Commission For Women, Swati Maliwal, has condemned the “ruthless” couple and urged the Delhi Police to crack down on the alleged abuse.
A group of women continuously beats Poornima and tears her hair
Locals then beat the pair into the street for nearly two minutes straight
As the mob cuts down the pair, the pair get separated with men dragging Kaushik away and beating him repeatedly.
After freeing himself, Kaushik runs back to help his wife and manages to separate her from the angry mob and return them to the safety of their gated house.
She said in a statement: ‘A 10-year-old girl was held as a domestic worker by a female pilot and her husband in Delhi and was brutally tortured. An answer has been sought from the Delhi Police in this matter. Strict action must be taken against such ruthless people.’
Officers said Poornima was a pilot and Kaushik worked as a ground crew for an airline. They had hired the girl through a relative who also worked as a domestic worker in a nearby house.
Lawsuits have been filed against them for voluntarily causing pain, causing pain by dangerous weapons or means, wrongful imprisonment and sections of the Indian Child Labor Act.
The girl has since been rescued and has undergone medical examination and supervision. She was sent back to her parents’ home, police said.