Police detained Comilla Victoria Government College's former principal Abu Taher's wife, Tahmina Tuhin, for beating a 12-year-old house help and scalding her with hot water.
The house help, Sumaiya Akhter, was rescued and admitted to Comilla Medical Hospital in a serious condition.
According to the eyewitnesses, the girl defended herself on Tuesday night by jumping from the second floor of Abu Taher's house in Daulatpur area of the city.
At that time, the locals called 999 after hearing her screams. The police later rescued the house help and took her to the burn unit of Comilla Medical Hospital.
In the hospital, the house help told reporters that she has been working at Professor Abu Taher's house in Comilla and his daughter Fahmida Timur's house in Dhaka for four years. Tahmina Tuhin and Fahmida Timur often beat her with a cane and poured hot water on her whenever she was late for work.
However, Professor Abu Taher denied the allegations. “I was out of home and my wife said she did not beat the girl. The house help slipped and fell down. At that time, hot water fell on her feet,” he said.
Officer-in-charge of Comilla Kotwali Model police station Manzur Morshed said the girl's legs were severely burnt. The matter will be investigated and legal actions will be taken.
The police confirmed that the preparation of the case is going with Ibrahim Khalil, the house help's uncle, as plaintiff.
