On camera, Delhi pilot, husband thrashed by mob for beating up 10-year-old help

Locals in Dwarka, southwest of Delhi, beat up a pilot and her husband on Wednesday after it came to light that they had hired a 10-year-old girl as a domestic helper and had physically assaulted her.

A video depicts the pilot being repeatedly struck by several ladies while wearing her uniform and being dragged by her hair. The pilot's husband works for an airline as ground personnel.

The pair, Kaushik (36) and Poornima (33) Bagchi, can be seen pleading for their life in the video. In the video, Poornima can be heard apologising as Kaushik is seen protecting her from the angry crowd and yelling, "She will die...Leave her." An older man stepped in and the mob dispersed.

Two months prior, the couple had hired the kid as a domestic helper. A relative of the girl observed various injury marks on her face and body and alerted the authorities, which led to the discovery of the abuse.

As word got out, a vengeful mob gathered outside the couple's house at around 9 am and beat them.

"The inquiry found that the 10-year-old child had been providing the couple with domestic assistance for the previous two months. They are accused of beating her. The couple's home was surrounded by people who confronted/manhandled them after a relative of the girl discovered this today, according to the police.

The husband and wife are accused of child labour, physical abuse, and endangering a youngster in the case that has been filed against them. The suspect has been taken into custody for abusing the child. According to the police, the wife is a pilot for a private airline while her husband is serving as ground crew for another.

The 10-year-old girl has received counselling and been forwarded for a physical. The woman reportedly has burn marks on her body as well as injury to her eyes.

There are no claims of sexual harassment against the accused pair, according to DCP Harshvardhan. He went on to say that the girl has a job through a relative of hers who also works at a neighbouring home.

The officer stated, "Action will be done in accordance with the law against those observed manhandling the couple in the video.

In the meantime, the head of Delhi Commission For Women (DCW), Swati Maliwal, denounced the occurrence and demanded that those who were "merciless people" should face the harshest punishment for keeping a young girl as a domestic worker and abusing her inhumanely.

"A female pilot and her husband in Delhi kept a 10-year-old girl as a domestic helper, and she was cruelly tortured. Delhi Police has been contacted for comment regarding this. The strongest measures should be taken against such ruthless individuals, she stated in a Hindi tweet.