A pilot and her husband became the victims of a revenge mob attack in Delhi, India after being accused of abusing a 10-year-old girl they employed as a maid.
According to the police, the couple accused of the assault are Kaushik Bagchi (36) and Poornima Bagchi (33).
The incident occurred on Wednesday (19) the same day, they allegedly assaulted the minor girl.
Subsequently, an angry mob manhandled and beat the couple.
During the altercation, a video captured Poornima apologising while Kaushik shielded her from the agitated mob, urging them to spare her life.
The situation calmed down after an elderly man intervened, dispersing the crowd.
According to a relative of the victim, the minor girl had often been scolded by the couple for not performing household chores to their satisfaction.
The incident occurred in their home in the Dwarka area of Delhi.
According to reports, the young girl had been working for the couple for two months before enraged relatives stormed their house, alleging that the child had been subjected to physical abuse.
The video which has gone viral captured the chaotic scene, showing the pilot, dressed in her uniform, attempting to prevent the mob from entering the property.
However, she was forcibly pulled out of the garage by her hair, while her husband struggled to protect her from the crowd’s aggression. Both were then thrashed on the street by the angry locals.
The abused girl, with visible bruises on her face and a painful burn on her arm, watched the fight unfold.
Amid the chaos, the pilot and her husband were eventually separated, with the mob assaulting both of them.
The incident led to police intervention, and the accused couple has been detained and arrested. Authorities are investigating the allegations of child abuse and harassment.
However, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) M Harsha Vardhan, who is responsible for the Dwarka area, said that there are no allegations of sexual harassment made against the woman, Poornima, and her husband, Kaushik.
Additionally, DCP Vardhan clarified that the minor girl had been hired through her relative, who also works as domestic help in a nearby household.
The victim, who was rescued, underwent a medical examination and counselling before being sent back to her parents’ home, in a village in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar.
The case has drawn significant attention, with the Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal strongly condemning the actions of the couple and urging the police to take strict action against them.
IndiGo, the airline the pilot works for, acknowledged the incident circulating on social media and said that they have taken the matter seriously.
A spokesperson said that they are currently investigating the matter, and meanwhile, the employee has been derostered from official duties.
