Guwahati: The Guwahati Police on Saturday booked Dr Walliul Islam and his wife Dr Sangeeta Datta, for allegedly abusing their three-year-old daughter for a period of several months. The incident came to light after child rights activist Miguel Das Queah wrote about the matter on his social media platform, seeking help from the police to rescue the child.
According to the social media post of Miguel, the couple allegedly used to tie up the toddler on the terrace of their apartment under the scorching summer heat for hours.
“Finally the dangerous doctor couple, Dr Walliul Islam and Dr Sangeeta Datta’s cruelty, has been taken notice of by Guwahati Police. For a long time, I had received complaints about this horrid doctor couple, who regularly tied their little daughter (who is supposedly adopted) on their terrace, under the scorching summer sun. This little 3-year-old girl child also has bruises all over her body. The little girl also had big burn injury marks on her bottom,” Miguel wrote on his social media post on Friday.
“I had requested the witnesses to file a complaint but no one was willing to do so as they were scared, but finally, today someone had the courage to call up the police," Miguel added.
The police from the nearby Paltan Bazar police station came and rescued the girl and detained Dr Walliul Islam and his maid Lakshmi Nath. However, Dr Sangeeta Datta was not at home.
The Police took the owner-maid duo to the Paltan Bazar police station and after interrogating them for the whole night, finally arrested them on Saturday morning.
They are likely to be produced before the court later today.
Though Dr Sangeeta Datta is still absconding, search for her is underway, police said. Meanwhile, Miguel has updated the Child Welfare Committee on the matter.
He has also urged the Assam Police to check the bruises, talk to the teachers, neighbours and most importantly go through the adoption documents.
The Paltan Bazar police have registered a case against the couple under sections 307 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) (Attempt to murder), 325 of the IPC (Voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 341 of the IPC (Wrongful restraint), 34 of the IPC (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), and Juvenile Justice Act 75 (Any person having control of the child, assaults, abandons, abuses or willfully neglects the child).
The netizens, while condemning the heinous crime of the doctor couple, have demanded that Dr Sangeeta Datta be arrested soon and exemplary punishment be given to both of them.