Maharashtra woman throws chilli powder into 3-year-old adopted girl’s eyes

BHIWANDI: A 35-year-old woman was arrested in Bapgaon, Bhiwandi, after a video showing her allegedly assaulting her three-year-old adopted daughter went viral on social media, police said.

The accused, Reshma Sheikh (name changed to prevent identity), allegedly attacked the child after the girl addressed a neighbour as “mother”, which reportedly enraged the woman. Police said the family lived in the Bapgaon locality of Bhiwandi, and the child was adopted in Dec last year.

Police said that after returning home, the woman began beating the child severely. During the assault, the woman’s husband allegedly recorded the incident on his mobile phone. The viral video reportedly showed the woman hitting the child and threatening her not to call the neighbour “mother” again.

In a part of the video, the woman was seen putting chilli powder into the child’s mouth and eyes. The child was seencrying loudly in pain while the woman continued to scold and threaten her.

Following the circulation of the video online, Padgha police registered a case against both the woman and her husband. Police said that while the husband reportedly tried to verbally stop his wife during the recording, he did not make any serious effort to physically intervene and prevent the assault, and he was named as an accused.
Police Inspector Jitendra Thakur of Padgha police station said a case was registered against the couple, and the woman was arrested. “We have taken immediate action after the video surfaced. The accused woman has been arrested, and further investigation is underway,” he said.

The child was rescued and sent to a child care home for protection and further care.

Police said the accused woman was a homemaker, while her husband worked outside the Kalyan Court, preparing notary-related documents. Authorities continued the investigation.



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