On 18 January 2024, we reported on how an 18 year old girl from the scheduled caste was physically abused by her employer, who turned out to be DMK’s Pallavaram MLA E Karunanithi’s son and daughter-in-law.
In a video interview, the girl revealed that she was forced to sign an agreement under blackmail, subjected to relentless physical abuse, and denied any medical assistance. She described instances of being burnt, beaten, and even scratched with a knife by her employer. Despite enduring extreme cruelty, she was warned against speaking out, as her employer claimed to have influential connections. She also highlighted non-payment of salary, excessive workload, and degrading treatment. The appalling conditions she faced emphasized the urgent need for intervention and justice.
In a widely circulated video on the X platform, the victim detailed the extent of the torment she endured at the hands of her employer. She shared the account of how she found herself in the residence of Anto Madhivanan “After completing 12th, I went to work through an agent there… they took me to one house that was E Karunanidhi MLA’s son, Anto Madhivanan’s Thiruvanmiyur apartment and took me there. Since this was the first time I was working, I told them within 2 days of joining that I was not able to manage the workload but they said, no you should work, beat me, and took away my phone from me. Later when I said I couldn’t stay here and wanted to speak to my mother, they started blackmailing me that they will kill my mother and brother and that I should work there or else they would destroy my family.
She adds, “After blackmailing, they said, now your mother will come, you should sign an agreement with the agent. You should sign for sure. If not, we don’t know what may happen’, they said. We are an MLA family, we have power, we will do whatever we want. After my mother came due to pressure, they said I should sign the agreement and I could not say that to my mother because I was blackmailed so much, so I signed it.
She alleges that they deceived her with false assurances “They promised me ‘You work for 6 months, we will relieve you immediately, another girl will come to replace you’, They enrolled me saying that”
She continues her statement, “One day she slapped me on the face. I’ve been working for the past 7 months, during these 7 months, they’d beat me up as they wish. Even if I didn’t do something properly, they’d slap me on the face as they walk by. One night, we finished packing at 2AM as they were leaving for someplace, they ordered me to finish cooking food by 6AM. They told me I did not have any business sleeping. How can anyone stay awake? I fell asleep at 2AM and woke up at 7 in the morning. Since I failed to cook and keep the food ready, they burnt my arms with the hair straightener. They left me in such a state and left. How much ever I am tortured, even if I am bleeding, they’d never take me to the hospital for treatment. I used to take care of the wounds with home remedies like applying turmeric powder or something like that. I would tie the bandages myself and continued working.”
The victim goes on to add, “One morning they asked me to finish all the work in the morning but I could not wake up and was only able to make breakfast and lunch, I could not sweep and mop the floor as was ordered. Since I did not finish the housework, they said I was not able to accompany them for their work outside. So for the entire day, they beat me up with a ladle. What began in the morning went on 11 in the night. I was beaten with the ladle on my head and mouth which started bleeding. I begged her to let me go home, I fell at her feet unable to bear it, but she never let me go. I was asked to wash my face, post which the beating continued.”
The traumatised victim adds, “She had hit me on my chest several times, I could never speak of it. They scratched my neck with a knife. They would light a newspaper and burnt my mouth with it. They never took me for treatment even after doing this. I had to take care of myself. Even after getting beaten up so much and if I said I could not work, they’d hit me repeatedly in the same place demanding why I wasn’t working! One day, I was chased so much and hit over and over again and was made to work. I still continued doing the chores every day.”
She adds, “My face had changed, she cut my hair, I didn’t know what to do I was in a critical condition. Even then she did not take me to the hospital, she gave me ice cubes to treat my head and all the swollen areas. After all this cruelty, she says if you reveal any of this to anyone outside, who is there to safeguard you? She called me a dog that had no one and no money. She blackmailed me saying she was living in the MLA’s home and that she was the MLA’s daughter-in-law and if she said a word, they would destroy my home.
She even blackmailed me saying she would forge documents through a doctor she knew and would spread news in my village that I had an abortion and shame me. She taunted me as I had no one to go to or take help from. She even disrobed me and sent me out when I begged her to let me be. She even said, that even if I was sent out naked, no one would come and help me. She would say if people know that it was an MLA’s house, they’d go away minding their business. Even for small chore, if I did not wash a vessel properly or fold clothes properly, I would be tortured as per their fantasies and ideas that crop up at that instant. Once she mixed chilli powder in water and made me drink it. I would drink it and after that, I would feel a burning sensation inside but I could do nothing, but cry in pain, I would lie on the floor and beg for water but to no avail.” She added, “The other staff working there would complain about me and she would make me do their work also. I’d prepare lunch and dinner, sweep and mop the house, clean the bathroom, wash clothes – I would do all this and their work also. If I wake up in the morning at 6, I would go to bed only at 1.30 or 2AM. They wouldn’t even let me sit down for a minute, they’d say I am not a guest to sit and that I was given a salary, so I should not sit.”
When asked if she was given a salary, she said, “Till date, I did not receive even a rupee as salary. I have been working for the past 7 months and they have not even given me a single day’s salary. Even if I was unwell and unable to work, I had to do every single chore. Work must be done at a fast pace. I’d be questioned for every single thing I do and would never be able to finish a given task and would get beaten up for this.”
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