Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad   

‘Rape victims’ pour out their woes

- Photo: P. V. Sivakumar

Grievances: Tribal women who were allegedly raped by policemen, submitting a petition to Justice (Retd) B. Subhashan Reddy, SHRC Chairman, in Hyderabad on Saturday.

HYDERABAD: Victims of alleged rape by anti-naxalite force of police at Vakapalli village of Visakhapatnam district on Monday last informed the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) here on Saturday that the gun-toting policemen had terrorised and assaulted them.

Nine of the eleven victims who appeared before the commission headed by B. Subhashan Reddy told the panel that they were abandoned by their spouses and were not even allowed to visit their children. They were now under the care of a village elder Korra Domanaiah. The Oriya-speaking tribal group which was brought here by Andhra Pradesh Mahila Samakhya of CPI also met Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy at his residence.

Justice Reddy recorded their statements collectively in the presence of media and individually later. The case was actually posted for August 31 but he advanced the hearing since the victims were in city.

A woman narrated that 25 policemen entered the village by foot around 6 a.m. when the men-folk had gone for work in the fields. She was herself working in a turmeric field as three policemen rushed towards her. One of them assaulted her.

She informed Justice Reddy that their spouses disowned them and forbid them from entering their houses.

Her husband Korra Narasimha Murthy, who was also present, told reporters separately that the women were being punished. But the ‘ban’ on them would be lifted after they return home on Monday. A community dinner would be arranged in the village as per tribal customs and the women would be purified with the milk of cow.

Another woman showed the boils on both her feet which she said were caused as the policemen trampled them with shoes.

A 17-year-old woman said she delivered a baby on August 15 but it died later. She was assaulted by a policeman as she was lighting the hearth at her house. A constable stood guard outside her house.

Justice Reddy said the Visakhapatnam Superintendent of Police denied the incidents.

He assured that the commission would pass an interim order during the day. It would ensure security to the women in the village.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said that no one would be spared if found guilty.

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