Jharkhand/Greater Noida, Mar 27: Two shocking cases of alleged trafficking and abuse of tribal domestic workers from Jharkhand have come to light in the National Capital Region, with one survivor accusing her employer of sexual assault and another minor subjected to brutal torture, officials and activists said.
In the first case, a 20-year-old Adivasi woman, trafficked at the age of 14, was rescued from a residential building in Greater Noida on March 22 after allegedly being confined and abused for nearly five years.
The woman alleged that she was subjected to repeated physical violence, verbal abuse and caste-based slurs by her employer and his wife. She also accused the employer of sexually assaulting her. “They would often make derogatory remarks about my family… When they wanted to wake me up, they would just kick me around,” she said.
According to police, an FIR has been registered under provisions related to assault, outraging modesty, voluntarily causing hurt and trafficking under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). However, no rape charges have been invoked so far.
“Further investigation is under way,” a police official said, adding that no prima facie evidence had been found under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The case was flagged by the National Campaign Committee for Eradication of Bonded Labour, which termed it a case of bonded labour. “This is also a case of bonded labour because she was neither paid nor allowed to leave,” said convenor Nirmal Gorana.
The survivor, who belongs to the Munda tribal community, alleged that she was promised a monthly salary of ₹10,000 but never received any payment and was prevented from contacting her family.
In a separate incident in Model Town, a 14-year-old tribal girl from Jharkhand was rescued after being allegedly subjected to extreme physical and mental abuse by her employer, a doctor, police said. The accused has been arrested.
Officials said the minor was burnt with hot objects, beaten, bitten and attacked with scissors, besides being starved and confined to the house. She showed signs of severe malnutrition and multiple injuries.
The rescue operation was carried out following a complaint to the Delhi Commission for Women helpline (181), after which the placement agency linked to the case was also raided.
Reacting to the incident, DCW chief Swati Maliwal said, “Can’t describe her condition… she was burnt, beaten, attacked… most evil! If the girl had continued to stay, she may have even died.”
She also questioned the brutality of the accused, saying, “A doctor herself, how could she torture a 14-year-old in such a brutal manner.”
Authorities have initiated proceedings to ensure the victim’s protection under the Child Welfare Committee, while calls have been made to add bonded labour charges in the case.
Both incidents have once again highlighted the vulnerability of tribal and economically weaker communities to trafficking for domestic work, as well as gaps in monitoring placement agencies and enforcing labour protections, activists said.
