In another case of alleged bonded labour in Dehradun, a girl was found by the railway child line members at Dehradun Railway station. Member of Bachpan Bachao Andolan, Sandeep Pant alleged that a woman was beating the girl, when RCL members found her they asked help from Government Railway Police, after which the girl was rescued and brought to the police station. He further said that the victim is accusing the woman of kidnapping and slavery, however when the girl’s father was contacted, he admitted of knowing about the whereabouts of his daughter. The victim hails from Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh and has now been kept under the protection of Department of Women and Child Development (DWCD).
Pant further informed, “The victim was rescued by RCL who found her being beaten by a woman at Dehradun Railway Station. The woman kept claiming that she is an officer in a court. According to the victim, she hasn’t spoken with her father for the past three months. She alleged that the woman was forcefully employing her
as a domestic servant. However, her father said that he
knew that his daughter was working for the woman and that she was also paying her `2,000. Her father will be reaching Dehradun on Monday, and after that things will get clear. As of now there are many contradictions in both the statements.”
Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) GRP, Manoj Katyal said, “If there was any misbehaviour by lady with
the victim on railway
premises we will be inquiring about that. Even if the victim gives us complaint verbally, we will file it.”
Station Officer of Rajpur Police station, Nathi Lal Uniyal said, “No verbal or written complaint was given to us by the victim, her guardians or child line. There were contradictions in the statements. They are waiting for the father to come to see if there is any case.”
It will be recalled that earlier on June 4, a case of child bonded labour was registered by the police in Dehradun.