Palghar, Maharashtra: Police have registered a case against a woman, Juliana Patil, from Uttan in Bhayander for allegedly forcing a 10-year-old tribal girl into bonded domestic labour and subjecting her to physical and verbal abuse.
Background Of The Victim
The survivor, a member of the vulnerable Katkari tribal community from Wada taluka, had been living with her grandparents after her father’s death. Her mother had reportedly abandoned the family years ago.
Alleged Exploitation And Abuse
According to the FIR lodged at the Wada Police Station on Wednesday, the accused woman took the minor girl with her during the Ganesh festival in 2024, promising to provide food and care. However, once at her home in Bhayander, she allegedly forced the child to work as a domestic helper.
In her complaint, the girl’s grandmother stated,“The woman forced my granddaughter to wash clothes and dishes, wipe floors, and dry and collect fish. She also abused and beat her when she refused to work,” the grandmother told police.
The child was allegedly kept under forced labour for nearly nine months, before being sent back home in June 2025.
Continued Harassment After Return
Even after the girl returned home, the harassment continued, the grandmother said. The accused woman allegedly sent ₹5,000 to ₹6,000 as an advance payment to take the girl back for work.
On Wednesday morning, the accused reportedly arrived at the family’s home and attempted to take the girl away again. When the grandmother objected, the woman allegedly threatened to file a police complaint against the family for taking money from her.
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Legal Action Initiated
Based on the complaint, police registered a case against the woman under, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections related to unlawful compulsory labour, voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation, Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
A senior police official confirmed that an investigation is underway. No arrests have been made so far.
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