Domestic help murder: teams sent to Bengal, Jharkhand

A few days after a man was arrested for allegedly killing a 16-year-old domestic help and dumping her chopped body in a drain here, the police said on Monday that teams have been sent to West Bengal and Jharkhand to arrest his accomplices.

The police had received a call regarding an unidentified dismembered body stuffed inside a bag stuck in a drain in Jawalapuri on May 4. The girl was identified nearly 10 days after her body was discovered.

Accused Manjeet Karketa, who was arrested on May 17, told the police that he and his accomplices Shalu and Gauri had murdered the teenager, chopped her body into pieces and dumped it into a drain in Mianwali Nagar.

“Shalu hails from Gumla district in Jharkhand, while Gauri is from West Bengal. Police teams have been sent to arrest them. Gumla is a Naxal-prone district and it is not easy to carry out raids there. However, the local police are cooperating in every possible way,” said a senior police officer.

He said Manjeet lured young and poor girls from Jharkhand to Delhi promising them attractive employment opportunities and good salaries. However, he would ask employers to give their salary to him instead of the girls.

The victim’s family was informed about her death. Her mother and younger brother arrived in the city on May 16 and the body was handed over to them for last rites. They returned home after the cremation, said the police officer.

Employer in the clear

The police, however, have refused to take action against the victim’s employer.

“A Bombay High Court order states that a person employing children between 14 and 18 [years] of age cannot be prosecuted under the provisions of Child Labour [Protection and Regulation] Act, 1986. Also during the investigation, the police found no criminal liability on the part of the employer,” said the officer.