Tamil Nadu: Mother-daughter duo burn orphaned minor girl's palm for not picking up comb

An orphaned minor, working as a domestic help in a teacher's house, allegedly had her left palm burnt by the woman and her daughter at a village in Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu for apparently not picking up a comb from the floor when ordered to.

The matter came to light on 1 September when her neighbours in Papanasam village questioned the 12-year-old girl about the burn marks on her palm.

Gopika told them the mother and her daughter, also a teacher in the same school, had burnt her palm for not obeying the order to pick up a comb from the floor.

The neighbours informed a woman child welfare officer who rescued the child and admitted her at the Thanjavur government hospital for treatment today.

Later, she was shifted to a children's home in the district.

The police registered a case today against both the teachers.

The daughter had brought Gopika from Kulithalai village to Papanasam after her parents died and got her admitted to the local panchayat middle school.

--PTI