‘Before hiring a domestic help, check credentials of agency, person’
By: Sameer Lone
Srinagar: The placement agencies providing domestic help services have come under scanner with many placement agencies being sealed. The police and civil administration have swung into action after a gruesome murder and a theft case that took place in Srinagar.
An old aged women was murdered by her domestic help who was later identified a young boy who was hired through a placement agency. The boy was later arrested when he was trying to escape from the murder spot.
Similarly, few days later this sensational murder, another domestic help looted a huge amount of cash and jewelry from another household.
In order to take immediate measures to control these increasing crime incidents, the civil administration and Jammu and Kashmir Police have started to track all these placement offices and have started sealing those who have failed to furnish relevant documents that are needed to run the placement agency dealing with providing domestic helpers to the needy households.
According to sources, the Rajbagh Police station has so far sealed offices of three placement agencies on the directions of the Executive Magistrate concerned of the area. “Many more such offices of placement agencies will be sealed till they furnish relevant documents,” they said.
A senior police officer told the Precious Kashmir that they have sealed several offices who have failed to furnish relevant documents.
“These placement agencies bring boys and girls from outside states and send them as house servants to the households who need them. But to run these services there is a proper procedure like an interstate license and a license from the Labour Commission are some of the important documents,” said another senior police officer.
The police have requested the general public looking for domestic help to cross check all the details while hiring a domestic help from any placement agency as many agencies are indulging in frauds.
In most of the cases, according to a police investigation, the modus operandi is to give advertisements in newspapers for providing domestic servants, giving mobile numbers, to attract prospective clients.
These servants work most diligently and try to win the faith of their employers and disappear suddenly, if they have the chance to lay their hands on cash or other costlier but small items like gold, mobile, watch etc. In a related incident, there was reportedly a case wherein a newly recruited maid abducted an 18-month-old-boy and was recovered from Faridabad and four persons were arrested.
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