Dramatic scenes unfolded at the Mahagun Moderne society located in Noida’s Sector 78 today as an angry mob entered the premises of the residential society and ransacked it. A riot-like situation broke out early morning today over allegations that one of the residents of the society beat up and held a maid captive in one of the flats. The mob consisted mainly of the family, relatives and neighbours of the maid.
The agitators alleged that one of the residents of the society held the domestic help captive and assaulted her physically. They alleged that she had gone missing since Tuesday evening and was later found in an unconscious state in one of the flats of the society.
The mob gathered outside the main gate of the society at 7 am and tried to breach the security. Some even managed to enter the premises with rods and were seen pelting stones at the buildings. Superintendent of police (city) Arun Kumar Singh reached the spot along with a posse of policemen.
“Most of the protesters are domestic helps, who are angry that a maid has been allegedly beaten up. We are trying to contain the protest,” the SP said earlier today.
The protesters also blocked a the Dadri-Surajpur-Chhalera (DSC) road at Barola, bringing traffic towards Noida Phase 2 Industrial Area to a halt.
The residents, however, differ from the account of the protesters. Residents said that the maid, who they claim is a Bangladeshi immigrant, was caught stealing and had allegedly accepted to stealing Rs 10,000 from the house where she was confronted. According to them, the maid fled when the resident wanted to report her to the facility that handles the entry of maids into the society. Another resident said that the maid was handed over to the police and this is what enraged them.
However, in a statement issued to ANI later in the day, the maid said she was beaten up by the lady of the house in question who alleged that she had stolen Rs 17,000 from the house. "She kept saying that I had stolen money from her, and threatened me that she will lock me inside the house and will not allow me to leave till the amount is recovered," she said.
When questioned of her whereabouts, the maid said she was given food and water which she had, and went unconscious. "I don't remember anything after that," she said. The statement of the maid is contrary to the account narrated by the residents who claimed that she had fled from the society premises when the owners threatened to report her. The residents also alleged that the maid was perfectly okay in the morning and was also seen giving a statement to police personnel at the entrance of the society. However, her friends and family wrongly accused the flat-owner of beating her
Meanwhile, the family of the resident, say residents, is in trauma after the mob that breached the gates of the society wielding sticks and rods, also entered their house and created a ruckus. Videos captured from the scene showed a mob moving inside the premises of the society and hitting structures with sticks and rods.
Reports said residents were unable to send their children to schools as a result of the ruckus. Speaking to ANI, SP Arun Singh said that both parties had levelled allegations against each other which were being investigated.
