Delhi: Deserted by father, girls aged 3, 8 left to starve; rescued from locked room

New Delhi: In a shocking incident, two minor sisters, who were forced to live in a dark, locked room devoid of ventilation in outer Delhi's Samaypur Badli area after being deserted by their drunkard father, were rescued with deep wounds due to maggot infection, police said on Friday.

The two girls, aged eight and three years, were left alone in their rented house at Radha Vihar of Nepali Colony, allegedly by their drunkard father on August 17, they said.

After a foul smell started emanating from the house, neighbours made a PCR call on August 19 and the two girls were rescued from the house. They were infected with maggots and had skin infection, police said.

The room had no ventilation and it was a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The girls had also not eaten for days and were on the verge of death when they were rescued, a police official said.

They were admitted to Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital and are currently out of danger, police said.

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal met the girls and said the women's panel will take care of them. "Met 2 little girls abandoned by parents. Hv deep wounds infested with maggot, were stinking. Such a shame. Parents shud b punished for this. DCW to ensure there upkeep. DCW counselors attending to girl. Spoke to @SandeepKumar ji n he has assured admission in residential school," she said in a series of tweets.

"Police have registered a case under sections 317 IPC (abandonment of child under 12 years by parents or guardian) and 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act. Once the girls are in better condition, we will produce them before CWC," said DCP (Outer) Vikramjeet Singh.

Police teams have been formed to trace the parents. The girls' father, Bunty, from Uttar Pradesh, used to work as a labourer and spend all his earnings on alcohol. His is currently unemployed.

Locals told police that Bunty had married Jyoti who left him for another man a couple of months ago and took their five-year-old son with her. There were fights between the couple frequently and Bunty would often beat his wife. He used to scold the two girls after Jyoti left.

Bunty had deserted his mother who currently works as a maid in houses around Tis Hazari Subzi Mandi and stays at a night shelter. When the police contacted her and asked to take responsibility of the two girls, she cited her inability to do so.

Monetary help has been pouring in for the two girls. However, police is currently looking after the girls on its own, police said.