The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : DSS demands action in Dalit ‘rape’ case

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

DSS demands action in Dalit ‘rape’ case

Special Correspondent

Dalit Sthree Sakthi submits memorandum to Director-General of Police

15-year-old ’gang raped’ by landlord, policemen
Crime reportedly perpetrated a month ago

HYDERABAD: Dalit Sthree Sakthi (DSS), which has brought to light the kidnap and gang rape of 15-year-old Dalit girl by a landlord and policemen in West Godavari district, has demanded stringent action against the culprits and compensation to the victim.

In a memorandum submitted to the Director General of Police, Geddam Jhansi, convenor of the DSS that works for protection of rights of Dalit women in eight districts, said it was nearly a month now since the crime was perpetrated, yet no arrests have been made so far. Neither medical examination of the girl nor identification parade of the accused were conducted.

Delay

Cases were booked belatedly under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act and investigation officer appointed only after DSS took it up with the higher-ups in the police, the Andhra Pradesh State Human Rights Commission and the National Human Rights Commission.

Narrating the harrowing experience of the girl, Ms. Jhansi said, the teenager from Kontheru village of Yelamanchili mandal in West Godavari was lured by landlord Ravi Chandra, belonging to upper caste, with the promise of a job.

Her father, Mohan Rao, who worked as a driver of the landlor’s tractor was away at that time.

Ravi Chandra took her away on May 2 to Yanam where and his three friends allegedly raped her.

Mohan Rao registered a complaint with Yelamanchili police about his ‘missing’ daughter.

Threat

On coming to know about the police complaint, Ravi Chandra took the girl to Hyderabad where he and the girl’s maternal uncle, Venkateswarlu threatened her against revealing the truth.

She was brought to Yelamanchili police station on May 15 and produced before the Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate Narsapur who issued orders to shift her to Juvenile Home in Hyderabad.

Instead of being shifted immediately, she was detained in the police station for the next three days and allegedly raped by the Sub-inspector and three police constables.

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