A case has been registered against a man in Palghar district, Maharashtra, for allegedly brutally assaulting a 13-year-old boy. The child had been illegally employed as domestic help and was beaten for arriving late to work. The incident occurred on Monday in Khamloli village within the district.

The accused, identified as Rajendra Sitaram Patil, is facing charges under various pertinent laws, including the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, as well as sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) such as voluntarily causing hurt (IPC 323), criminal intimidation (IPC 506), and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace (IPC 504).

According to authorities, the victim and the accused both reside in the same village. Patil had hired the minor to care for his cattle at his residence. The teenage boy had lost his mother several years ago, and his father is currently battling tuberculosis. As a result, the boy lived at the accused’s house and received a monthly salary of Rs 1,100 for his work.

On September 25, the boy had left the house in the morning to observe Ganesh idols in the village. Upon returning to his employer’s home, he noticed some boys playing nearby and joined in. Consequently, he arrived at work late.

Infuriated by the boy’s tardiness, Patil reportedly subjected him to severe physical assault and verbal abuse. Subsequently, the victim approached his father and recounted the incident to him. The boy’s father, along with some villagers, confronted Patil at his residence to inquire about the assault. However, the accused also directed abusive language at them.

In response, the group approached the police, and the boy’s father filed a formal complaint against Patil. As of now, the accused has not been arrested, and the case remains under investigation.

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