A teenage Dalit girl employed as a domestic worker was found dead on Thursday, October 31 in the house in Chennai’s Aminjikarai where she was employed, Joint Commissioner of Police (JCP) for Chennai West confirmed to TNM. According to multiple news reports, the girl was beaten by her employers until she collapsed. While the police declined to share all the details about the crime as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been invoked, the girl was 15 or 16 years old, reports say.

The girl, originally from Thanjavur, was working at the house of a couple, who are the accused along with four others, including their friends, police also confirmed to TNM. According to The Hindu, the accused have been identified as Mohammed Nishad, a businessman, his wife Nivetha alias Nasiya, and a couple who are their friends. Additionally, a brother and sister who introduced the girl to Mohammed and his wife for employment have also been arrested, The Hindu added.

The girl had previously been physically assaulted several times, including being branded with a hot iron, DT Next reports. On the day she died, the girl was beaten until she collapsed in the bathroom and when the accused realised she was dead, they reportedly locked the house and attempted to flee. Police told TNM that the crime came to light and the accused were apprehended after receiving a tip-off from a relative of one of the accused.

A case has been registered under the Juvenile Justice Act, the POCSO Act, the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section 101 (murder) and 103 (punishment for murder), the DSP also confirmed to TNM.