Girl, 15, killed after she is caught in machine while making momos

Police said the girl was alone in the kitchen at the time of the incident, adding that the restaurant owner has been arrested.

A 15-year-old girl working at a restaurant in Rohini, northwest Delhi, died while she was preparing momos after she was accidentally pulled into a dough-kneading machine, police officers aware of the matter said on Wednesday.

The victim was found trapped inside a dough kneading machine. (File Photo)

According to police, the victim was originally from Garh Ganga in Hapur district of Uttar Pradesh, but was living in Delhi with her family for the past decade. Officers said the restaurant owner hired the girl as a cook and helper around three years ago.

Police said the incident occurred on Tuesday evening at A1 restaurant in Rohini’s Naveen Vihar neighbourhood. Investigators probing the case said that the freak accident occurred while the girl was using the machine — they suspect that at first, her hair got caught in the apparatus, and while she was trying to free herself, her hand also got entangled, and she was pulled into the appliance, which crushed her head.

Police said the girl was alone in the kitchen at the time of the incident, adding that restaurant owner Rajesh Kumar has been arrested.

“A police team immediately reached the spot at Naveen Vihar. A girl was found trapped inside a dough kneading machine. She was unresponsive and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was declared brought dead by the doctors,” deputy commissioner of police (Rohini) GS Sidhu said.

A senior police officer investigating the case said that the girl’s mother and elder sister also worked at the same restaurant.

“We are checking if they were working on the day of the incident. According to other staffers, the girl was alone in the kitchen and screamed for help. The staffers tried to stop the machine, but she was pulled in,” the officer said, on condition of anonymity.

DCP Sidhu said Kumar has been booked under sections of the Juvenile Justice Act, as well under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections pertaining to causing death by negligence and negligent conduct with respect to machinery.

Police said they are also probing how Kumar, the restaurant owner, was able to employ a minor, and are checking the state of the machinery used in the kitchen.