Mumbai police book 'evil' aunt for allegedly making niece lick her foot for food

Chunabhatti police on Monday filed an FIR based on the complaint of a 10-year-old girl who alleged her maternal aunt starved her if she failed to carry out household chores.

Chunabhatti police on Monday filed an FIR based on the complaint of a 10-year-old girl who alleged that her maternal aunt would often beat her with a rolling pin and starve her if she failed to carry out household chores.

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Things had come to such a pass, alleged the minor, that one day when she asked for food, her aunt made her lick her foot.

A few years ago, after losing her parents, the minor lived with her maternal uncle; thereafter, she has been living with her aunt and her family in Suman Nagar, Chunabhatti, since the last one year. The Class IV student attends a civic school.

Her unfortunate state surfaced on Monday, when her teacher enquired about the injuries visible on her hand. On probing, she revealed that it was the result of her aunt beating her up.

The teacher called up the police control room and reported the incident. After preliminary inquiries, police produced the child before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).

After listening to her ordeal, the CWC directed the Chunabhatti police station to register an FIR and investigate the case. It also sent the girl to the additional children’s home in Mankhurd.

In her statement, the girl said, her aunt would serve her stale food from the refrigerator.

"She would make me do all the household work, including washing clothes, before going to school. She would beat me with the belan (rolling pin) if I did not do any work. On certain days, she would give me food only once. One day when I was delayed returning home due to extra classes, she beat me up," the girl told the police in her statement.

Apart from this, she was also made to massage her aunt’s legs.

"Once when I was hungry and asked for food, she made me lick her foot," the minor told police.

The police have booked the girl’s aunt under sections 323, 324, 504, 506 of the Indian Penal Code and section 75 of the Bombay Children’s Act.

"Based on the girl’s complaint we have registered a case and verifying her claims. No arrest has been made in the case yet," said Anil Desai, senior inspector of Chunabhatti police station.

"There are discrepancies in her statements. However, we are thoroughly investigating the facts presented and will submit report to the CWC," said the officer.