The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Alleged rape victims face social boycott in A.P.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 24, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Alleged rape victims face social boycott in A.P.

G. Narasimha Rao

Victims given shelter by village headman
Children missing their mothers at Vakapalli

PADERU: Even as a strong wave of protest is sweeping against the gang-rape of 11 Girijan women in the Visakha agency area, and the police top brass fully denying the charge, more insult is heaped on the victims in the shape of a social boycott. Since they have returned to their village Vakapalli in G. Madugula mandal, about 50 km from here on Tuesday night, the rape victims are not allowed into their home. “You are policemen’s women,” their husbands told them. The women watch their children from a distance. The victims are given shelter by village headman Korra Dumarayya.

The women faced “Keedu” (lost the honour as they were raped by other men) and redemption for them is only after those who brought them “Keedu” are punished. Then they will be purified according to Kondu rituals.

“This is our custom and decided by our elders,” said Dumarayya on Thursday at the village. However, he seems not too happy with the trauma the women are facing.

Sub-Collector of Paderu, Lokesh Kumar, visited the village and assured them that many benefits like silver oak trees, bulls, sheep, loans, Anganwadi Centre, etc., would be provided to them. But he did not talk about the gang-rape incident, the villagers said. “No official visited us before,” they said.

Later, Member of SC and ST Commission Gummadi Sandhya Rani visited the village. State leaders of several peoples’ organisations and local leaders of political parties visited the village to console the victims and offered support. TDP, CPI and CPM organised a rally from Nurmati to Maddi Garuvu, a few kilometres from Vakapalli and forced closure of weekly shandy at Maddi Garuvu where a public meeting was held.

Former Minister M. Mani Kumari, former MLA K. Chitti Naidu and others addressed the public meeting and visited the village.

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