Palghar shocker: 10-year-old tribal girl bought as slave for Rs 5000

A chilling case of alleged bonded labour and child exploitation has surfaced from Wada in Palghar district where a 10yearold tribal girl from the Katkari community was allegedly taken away for domestic work and subjected to months of physical and verbal abuse The accused identified as Juliana Leslie Patil from Uttan in MiraBhayander has been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita BNS the SCST Prevention of Atrocities Act and the Bonded Labour Abolition ActAn FIR filed at Wada Police Station details the ordeal of the child Kavita name changed and the struggle of her grandmother Yogita name changed 55 who filed the complaintThe lsquoGanpati advancersquoThe incident dates back to the Ganpati festival of 2024 when the accused Juliana arrived unannounced at the familyrsquos home in Gaurapur Katkari Wadi WadaYogita who works as a labourer with her husband at a brick kiln in Kharbao lives with her extended family including four children of her deceased sonAccording to the FIR Patil saw the children playing outside and offered to take the eldest Kavita for housework ldquoI told her I would not send Kavitardquo Yogita said ldquoBut she insisted saying if Kavita didnrsquot wish to stay she would send her backrdquoKavita the 10yearold tribal girl PicsBy special arrangementPatil allegedly lured the child by saying ldquoYou have no work htere and we have plenty to eat and no trouble thererdquo Despite the familyrsquos refusal Patil took the girl and handed Yogita Rs 5000Rs 6000 in cash calling it an advance The family struggling financially admitted accepting the amount under distressThe family is of the opinion that the accused knowing Kavita was a minor from the tribal community still took her away against their wishes and oppositionNine months of forced labourKavita was kept at Patilrsquos residence in MiraBhayandar from Ganpati 2024 to June 2025 When she was finally brought back home Yogita questioned her and was horrified by what she heardldquoShe told me that she was forced to do housework wash utensils lift heavy fish crates dry and collect fish wash and dry clothes and mop the floorrdquo the grandmother detailed in the FIRThe minor told her grandmother that she was beaten verbally abused and threatened daily if she refused to work Kavita further revealed the appalling treatment she endured ldquoShe said that if she didnrsquot work Juliana would abuse her and hit herrdquoThe threatEven after Kavitarsquos return in June 2025 the accused allegedly continued sending money to lure the child back for work Yogita stated that during the following monsoon season Juliana transferred around Rs 5000R6000 in instalments to the bank account of a local grocery store owner Rupali Dinesh Jadhav which Yogita later collected in cashThe situation escalated on October 22 2025 around 9 am when Juliana arrived unannounced at Yogitarsquos home in GaurapurldquoI did not call herrdquo Yogita said ldquoThe moment Kavita saw Juliana she ran away in fearrdquo When confronted Juliana allegedly told Yogita she had come to take the child back for housework Yogita refused saying ldquoKavita is not willing to go for housework thatrsquos why she ran away when she saw yourdquoJuliana then allegedly issued a direct threatldquoIf Kavita doesnrsquot come back to work Irsquoll file a police complaint to recover the advance money you tookrdquoPolice action takenAlarmed by Julianarsquos aggressive behaviour Yogita began shouting for help drawing the attention of neighbours Chetan Pawar Ram Pawar and Suraj Manoj Dalvi They advised her to immediately report the matter to the policeMembers of the Shramjeevi Sanghatana including Rekha Tai Parhad district womenrsquos head Bharat Jadhav taluka president Dalvi secretary and activists Aadesh Wagh Namdev Pawar Netra Manjhe and Chetna Pawar soon arrived and assisted Yogita in filing a complaintThe Wada police registered an FIR on October 22 at 1120 pm against Juliana charging her under Bonded Labour System Abolition Act 1976 Sections 16 17 18 Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act 1986 Section 14 SCST PoA Act 1989 Sections 31h 31r 31s Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita BNS 2023 Sections 146 115 351ldquoWe have taken the complaint seriously and a detailed investigation is underway Further details will be shared once the inquiry progressesrdquo said SubDivisional Police Officer SDPO Jawhar SS MaherThe family is now seeking protection and justice for young Kavita the 10yearold survivor of alleged bonded child labourOCT 22Day FIR was registered