Seven year old `tortured, abused, burnt' by her adoptive parents

Hyderabad: Shock and anger have swept across Hyderabad after a seven-year-old girl was brutally abused, assaulted and tortured allegedly by her adoptive parents at Kacheguda.

Kacheguda Police have registered a case and started an investigation after child rights NGO 'Balala Hakkula Sangham’ and ChildLine officials formally lodged a complaint against her adoptive parents.

The issue came to light after Balala Hakkula Sangham received a tip-off about the abuse. Achyutha Rao of Balala Hakkula Sangham alerted the ChildLine staff and Kacheguda police station and sought immediate intervention. A team of officials from both the departments raided the house and rescued the girl.

During the inquiry, the couple told the officials that she was their adopted child. But when they were questioned about the injury marks on her body, they had no answer.

Sources said the girl was illegally adopted by Gujarati couple Mahipal Singh and Asha Kaur two years ago as they did not have a daughter. However, the couple, who have two teenage sons, treated the girl worse than a bonded labourer.

Officials said not only the couple but their two sons also abused the girl. Officials suspect that she was also sexually assaulted.

Officials, who rescued the child, were almost in tears when they saw injury marks all over her body. Officials said she was bitten on her lips and other parts of the body. Her face was partially burnt and even her private parts had injury marks.

Achyutha Rao said that a case of attempt to murder and POCSO act should be registered against the couple and their sons. Strict punishment should be given to all those involved in torturing the girl, he said.