Hyderabad, December 14: A young maid in Hyderabad was brutally beaten up by the police...

after her employers accused her of stealing gold ornaments and a sari.

The girl, Veeramani, was taken to the police station early on Monday morning and detained till late in the evening.

The police had not found any evidence against her, and were not even accompanied by a woman constable.

"They hit her on the soles of her feet. This is like the third degree treatment given to hardcore criminals," said Mary Ravindranath, Commission for Women, Andhra Pradesh.

Social issue

Activists say the attitude of the police betrays a class bias, where the employers' word was more sacred than the girl's defence.

The young girl, meanwhile, asserts that the allegations of theft against her are baseless.

"If I cry it will mean that I am scared and I have stolen. So I will be strong and I will not cry," Veeramani said.

Police authorities have admitted that the maid was treated unfairly, and they will look into the matter.

"We will inquire into the allegations and action will be taken," said ACP R Gopala Raju.

There can be no debate over the fact that Veeramani is a child and should not have been employed at all. But her case clearly highlights a larger problem