TIRUPATI: A minor dalit girl was allegedly raped by a group of around 10 unidentified persons for months until she got pregnant in Proddatur which is in chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s home district YSR Kadapa.
The girl used to live with her father at Islampuram locality.
The girl’s trauma was exposed only after she got pregnant recently.
After the locals informed the Proddatur rural police about the crime, a Mahila Samrakshana Karyadarsi (Women police designated by a recent government order) came to enquire into the incident.
When the Mahila Samrakshana Karyadarsi identified as Malleswari interacted with the girl on May 4, the minor girl share her ordeal with her.
When Malleswari, who recorded the girl’s statement on her mobile phone, showed the same to circle inspector, the girl was shifted to a shelter home run by an NGO near Mylavaram on May 8.
The Proddatur rural police did not register a case immediately.
While no case was reportedly registered immediately after receiving the statement of the victim, there was some swift action from the police department, after the incident was reported in some section of the local media.
Kadapa SP KKN Anburajan denied that there was any lapse or lack of swift response from the police department.
He said a case was registered on Wednesday and that the girl was hospitalized for medical examination and care.
“We have already taken four accused into custody. It is not true that the police did not act on the incident. The minor girl was raped by two accused about six months back. She was later raped by two other accused about four months ago. We have ordered a full fledged enquiry into the incident and additional SP Pujitha has been appointed as the investigating officer,” KKN Anburajan added.
Opposition parties slam police
Meanwhile, the opposition parties have slammed the state government and the police for the delay noticed in booking cases against culprits involved in the rape cases.
TDP leader Nara Lokesh launched a scathing attack on the local police for trying to cover-up the gang-rape case reported at Proddatur.
“It is inhuman on the part of the police to cover up the gang-rape which has led to the impregnation of the minor girl. Though the women police wing brought the incident to light and tried to do justice to the victim girl but it all went in vain,” lamented Nara Lokesh.
“Can the state government explain why the police officials did not respond immediately and register a case. Instead of making efforts to nab the culprits, they made efforts to hush up the gang rape, by shifting the girl to a private home in violation of the rules,” the former minister rued.
BJP spokesperson G Bhanuprakash Reddy demanded the state government to immediately suspend the Proddatur rural circle inspector on charges of gross negligence towards discharge of duties.
“It was just last week that a B Pharmacy student was found dead under mysterious circumstances near Gorantla in Sri Sathya Sai district and the local police there too registered a suicide case despite being alleged by the parents that their daughter was raped and murdered. It was only after a re-postmortem that the local police altered the case and took the accused into custody. Instead of coming to the rescue of the victims and their families, certain police officers are trying to protect the culprits involved in rape cases which is highly unpardonable,” said Bhanuprakash Reddy.