New Delhi: Hundreds of residents staying in Noida’s Mahagun Moderne Society had a harrowing time on Wednesday when an angry mob, comprising of neighbours and relatives of a maid working there, rushed at the complex. The domestic helper had allegedly been held captive overnight and beaten up by her employers on charges of stealing.
Zohra Bibi, 26, did not return home on Monday. After waiting for 24 hours, her husband, Babu, filed a complaint with Noida police against the employers.
“My wife leaves early in the morning and returns by 6pm. On Tuesday, when she did not come home till next morning, we started getting worried. On Wednesday, we reached the Moderne Society apartments. The guards did not let us in. But we were able to rescue my wife. She was in horrible condition at that time and her clothes were torn. Police took her to district hospital,” Babu told Gulf News.
In their statement, the employers said Zohra, who worked in several other apartments in the complex, too, had stolen Rs10,000 (Dh570).
“They [the mob] entered in my house by breaking the door glass. It was terrifying. It is about our life and I am afraid about the safety of my family and kid,” her employer, Mitul Sethi, said.
Sethi told media that Zohra had admitted to stealing the money.
“She told us that she indeed stole Rs10,000. She asked us to adjust it with her salary next month, which we refused. We told her we will inform the administration about it. While she requested us not to do it, we still went ahead because we did not want anyone to have the same experience,” she said.
Sethi, who runs a play school, said she asked Zohra to accompany her to the Society administration office.
“Zohra ran away. It is on CCTV. She left her phone at our house. We went to [the] administration office and filed a complaint against her. The society staff promised to look into the matter,” she added.
Meanwhile, the protesters blocked the main Dadri-Surajpur-Chhalera (DSC) Road and halted traffic towards Noida Industrial Area.
“The problem started when angry villagers residing nearby the housing society gathered around the premises at 7am and tried to enter the society flats forcefully. When stopped by the security guards, the mob started pelting [them with] stones. A case has not been registered yet. The employers have alleged that the maid stole money,” Noida Superintendent of Police AK Singh told media.
He said the maid was admitted to the district hospital in critical condition. “The maid is critical. The employer said Zohra stole the money and they allowed her go when she confessed. But the maid’s family claimed that she was held captive till morning. We are looking into the matter. [An] investigation is on,” he added.
