Hyderabad: Four-year-old branded with a hot iron spoon by mother

HYDERABAD: In Hyderabad a four-year-old was beaten, pinched and branded with a hot iron spoon allegedly by her mother and her live-in partner. The child, who has been rescued by activists, has narrated what she has been through at home.

"My daddy burnt me when I was eating," she told the activists of a child rights NGO. The rescuers were brought to tears as the child recounted her ordeal. "My daddy hit me first and pressed the hot iron spoon on me," she told them.

The child was rescued after the neighbours alerted a local politician who later passed on the message to activist Achyutha Rao. A case has been registered against the mother and the partner.

Investigation has revealed that the child's mother, a 25-year-old woman, who had left her husband and was living with another man. Started venting out their frustration on the child. When differences cropped up between the woman and her new partner.

The child has been sent to a government based home for rescued children.

"Yet another instance of a child being targeted and abused because of problem between adults. While a woman has a right to move on after a failed marriage, very often children are becoming inadvertent victims," Mr Rao said.