Girl tortured by father, step-mother

Hyderabad, Jul 8: A 19-year-old girl was allegedly tortured by her father and step-mother for several months here, police said today.

The girl, Pratushya, bearing injuries on her face and other body parts, was rescued by police with the help of a local NGO last evening and was taken to hospital.

She has alleged in her complaint that her parents used to throw acid on her and beat her with hot iron rod, they said.

The girl was subjected to alleged physical harassment and torture for over last seven months by her father Ramesh and step-mother Chamundeshwari alias Shyamala at their house in L B Nagar area here, police inspector E Srinivas Reddy said based on the complaint lodged by the girl.

Pratushya had been staying in an orphanage since 2010 following the death of her mother Sarala. Ramesh had married Sarala in 1991 and divorced her in 2003, he said adding that since 2003, the girl was staying with her mother. "Ramesh later got married to Shyamala, but the couple did not have any children. In December 2010, he went to the orphanage and brought back her daughter to their house," the police officer said.

"The teenager has given statement that since last seven months she was tortured and subjected to physical harassment by her step-mother and father. She alleged that acid was thrown on her face and she was beaten up with hot rod almost on a daily basis.

The girl has now been rescued and sent to a hospital in view of injuries to her face and other parts of the body," Srinivas Reddy said. An inquiry is underway into the incident and stern action will be initiated against those responsible for the physical harassment of the girl, he said.

Meanwhile, police detained the step-mother and were questioning her. The girl's father is absconding. Police were in the process of registering an attempt to murder case in connection with the incident, Reddy added.

PTI