Mumbai: The mother and aunt of a five-year-old girl were booked on Wednesday and arrested on Thursday for allegedly scalding the child with a candle for her mischievous behaviour in Kalamboli. The incident occurred on Sunday, but was reported on Wednesday evening by the minor’s father, who is a vegetable vendor. The two women were booked under relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and sent to Aadharwadi jail after their arrest on Thursday.
According to police, the child’s mother Anita and aunt, Rinky, had scolded the girl several times, for being mischievous. On Sunday, when Anita’s husband, Ghanshyam, was out at work, the women were so aggravated by the girl creating a nuisance that they held the bottom of a lit candle on her body and scalded her, said police. When Ghanshyam learnt about the incident, he scolded the duo before approaching police.
Since the matter was reported in the evening after 6pm, Anita and Rinky, were booked under relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and arrested on Thursday. Satish Gaikwad, senior police inspector of Kalamboli police station said, “The two women were sent to Aadharwadi Jail and we are trying to ascertain if such an incident occurred earlier.
The women confessed to their crime during questioning and said they lost their temper after a ‘hectic’ day.” The neighbours of the family said the child was always lively and mischievous, because of which she was always scolded by her mother and aunt, both housewives. She would then go crying to her neighbours, who would console her.