Counselling for teen rescued from room filled with garbage
The 16-year-old girl who was “rescued” from a garbage-filled room in East Delhi on Saturday after being confined for over three months is being treated for mental and physical health issues as she continued to display signs of post-traumatic stress disorder on Monday.
Doctors at LBS Hospital in Mayur Vihar have been assigned the task of restoring her physical health, an NGO is counselling her.
“We are arranging for counselling the girl’s mother also as she has been suffering from mental health issues. Until we do that, we have asked the woman’s older daughter to look after her,” said Omvir Singh, DCP (East).
The girl’s confinement came to light on Saturday when a neighbour called the police to inform her cries were often heard at night. The caller had alleged the girl was forcibly locked by her mother and sister for two years.
The police, however, insisted that the girl’s confinement was “self-imposed” as she was allegedly depressed over quickly losing bunches of hair from her scalp. “The girl would say she was ashamed of venturing into the open because of her hair loss,” said Ravindra Yadav, Joint CP (East), quoting the girl’s 24-year-old sister.
The girl too has not blamed her mother or sister for her condition. “CWC members visited her at hospital today (Monday). She has maintained that she remained confined to her room of her own free will,” said Yadav.
The girl’s mother, meanwhile, has told police that her decision to temporarily move to a rented accommodation in the same locality around three months ago was prompted by damp walls, termites and overall lack of hygiene.
“The family was to shift back after the necessary repairs but the girl refused to accompany them,” said the Joint CP. Since the house was not fit to live, the girl’s mother and sister moved out but the girl was adamant not to leave the house, the officer said.
“Ever since then, the girl’s mother and sister would visit her twice everyday to give her meals and drinking water,” said Yadav. The two women have told police that the girl was also disturbed by the ongoing legal battle between her parents over maintenance.
The girl’s father who has been living separately from the family for almost five years now runs a small grocery store in old Delhi. He alleged that his wife had not been allowing him to meet his daughters all these years.
The police, meanwhile, said there were no plans to register any FIR in this connection. “We will act on the directions of the Child Welfare Committee,” said Yadav.