Soumittra S Bose & Alka Panse, TNN | Apr 28, 2012, 01.23AM IST
NAGPUR: An eight-year-old girl allegedly bought from West Bengal for Rs 6,000 and employed asdomestic help by a couple at Nehru Nagar was rescued on Friday afternoon by team of Childline, an NGO, along with two constables fromGittikhadan police station.
The matter is being probed by Gittikhadan police station. Cops said they were still talking to the victim and interrogating the couple and were yet to register an offence.
According to the Childline activist, the girl was bought by the couple Pradeep Banerjee and his wife last year when she was seven.
Banerjee told police that the girl's mother had passed away when she was six and hence her father wanted to give the girl in adoption.
Her father is a migrant labourer. Banerjee, 56, is a senior executive in a leading private company.
Since the girl can only speak Bengali, police and activists are not able to communicate properly with her. Childline activist said she seemed scared and shocked and not in condition to tell anything. She understands a bit of Hindi as she spoke a few words with a female constable.
"She needs some time to open up. We will be counselling the girl for two days and then record her statement," said the activist.
On initial interrogation the girl stated that since from the first day she was brought home, she has been doing domestic work. She was not allowed to go outside and talk to anybody. On receiving information from the people from Nehru Nagar, city coordinator Barnic Gangmei and his team headed by Chhaya Gurav and Margaret Kujur raided Banerjee's home at Nehru Nagar at around 4.30 pm.
"Banerjee allowed us to check the home and we found the girl in the kitchen. She was sitting on a table with her head down. We brought her out and she didn't even stop us. Her eyes appeared dull and she was underweight," said Gurav.
The condition in which the girl was sitting seems she was kept for either domestic help or to look after Pradeep's wife who is reportedly suffering from psychological problem, claimed Gurav.
Banerjee told police that the couple lost their only son in a road mishap two years ago and since then his wife is under trauma. "We wanted to adopt a child but since we are very old and could not fulfill the adoption criterion, we were not allowed. Later, one of our relative told us about the girl's father who was willing to give the girl in adoption," Banerjee said in his statement to the cops.
Banerjee explained that he took care of girl as his daughter and was looking for a Bengali school to continue her studies.
Childline activists said there is a Bengali school at Nehru Nagar but Banerjee had not taken her there or at any others. Police took the girl to Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) for age determination. Activists said she would be kept at an institution at Shradhanandpeth until Monday.
Link: 8-year-old girl bought for Rs 6,000 from West Bengal rescued
The matter is being probed by Gittikhadan police station. Cops said they were still talking to the victim and interrogating the couple and were yet to register an offence.
According to the Childline activist, the girl was bought by the couple Pradeep Banerjee and his wife last year when she was seven.
Banerjee told police that the girl's mother had passed away when she was six and hence her father wanted to give the girl in adoption.
Her father is a migrant labourer. Banerjee, 56, is a senior executive in a leading private company.
Since the girl can only speak Bengali, police and activists are not able to communicate properly with her. Childline activist said she seemed scared and shocked and not in condition to tell anything. She understands a bit of Hindi as she spoke a few words with a female constable.
"She needs some time to open up. We will be counselling the girl for two days and then record her statement," said the activist.
On initial interrogation the girl stated that since from the first day she was brought home, she has been doing domestic work. She was not allowed to go outside and talk to anybody. On receiving information from the people from Nehru Nagar, city coordinator Barnic Gangmei and his team headed by Chhaya Gurav and Margaret Kujur raided Banerjee's home at Nehru Nagar at around 4.30 pm.
"Banerjee allowed us to check the home and we found the girl in the kitchen. She was sitting on a table with her head down. We brought her out and she didn't even stop us. Her eyes appeared dull and she was underweight," said Gurav.
The condition in which the girl was sitting seems she was kept for either domestic help or to look after Pradeep's wife who is reportedly suffering from psychological problem, claimed Gurav.
Banerjee told police that the couple lost their only son in a road mishap two years ago and since then his wife is under trauma. "We wanted to adopt a child but since we are very old and could not fulfill the adoption criterion, we were not allowed. Later, one of our relative told us about the girl's father who was willing to give the girl in adoption," Banerjee said in his statement to the cops.
Banerjee explained that he took care of girl as his daughter and was looking for a Bengali school to continue her studies.
Childline activists said there is a Bengali school at Nehru Nagar but Banerjee had not taken her there or at any others. Police took the girl to Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) for age determination. Activists said she would be kept at an institution at Shradhanandpeth until Monday.
Link: 8-year-old girl bought for Rs 6,000 from West Bengal rescued
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