13 arrested after Dalit girl 'gangraped' for 2 years in Andhra
Edgurallapalli (Andhra Pradesh) (PTI): Thirteen people have been arrested in connection with the alleged gangrape of 15 year-old Dalit girl in Sri Satya district for two years, said police.
The horrific crime, which resulted in the girl becoming pregnant, came to light on June 9 after she filed a complaint recently.
A case has been registered under several sections including the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, prevention of SC/ST Atrocities Act and BNS.
According to police, Achampalli Vardhan (21), Talari Murali (25), Badagorla Nandavardhan Raj (23), Arencheru Nagaraju (51), Boya Sanjeev (40) and Budida Rajanna (49) were arrested on June 9.
Seven others were arrested on June 10, while the main accused is still at large.
"In this heinous case, the accused were identified, traced, and arrested with coordination by special teams under Dharmavaram subdivision," said Sri Satya Sai district Superintendent of Police (SP) V Ratna at a press conference recently.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the girl was allegedly blackmailed using some of her 'inappropriate images and videos' by the perpetrators.
The girl is eight months pregnant and currently receiving treatment at a government general hospital in Ananthapur district. Doctors and district officials have decided against an abortion due to the advanced stage of her pregnancy.
The police are coordinating with the Child Welfare Committee to relocate the girl to a safer location after the delivery.
A permit has been sought for a DNA test on the unborn child as it will be crucial for the legal proceedings.
Some of the arrested individuals have criminal records, the police said.
"Despite being pregnant for eight months, no local alerted the officials. We believe caste stigma and fear led to the community's silence over the repeated abuse," a police official told PTI.
It is suspected that some villagers pressured the girl into marrying one of the accused to close the case, police said, adding that the probe is underway.
The girl said she was a government school student and the police is verifying this and investigating any possible lapses by school, health, or child protection officials.
Special teams have been formed to nab those absconding.
The victim's mother is a labourer and her husband passed away. Police believe their vulnerable situation may have made them more susceptible to community pressure and silence.
The accused were remanded to judicial custody while the minor has been placed under the Juvenile Justice Board.
Meanwhile, the 'district administration has assured the girl's safety', promised to meet her medical needs and complete legal procedures and extend psychological support during recovery.
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Businessman lured by FB friend, attacked for extortion in K'taka; 4 held
Madikeri (Karnataka) (PTI): Four people were arrested for allegedly assaulting, illegally confining and attempting to extort money from a 39-year-old businessman who was lured through a honeytrap set up on social media, police said on Monday.
The accused have been identified as Rachana, Malati, Darshan and Ravi.
Police said efforts are underway to nab the remaining suspects involved in the incident, which occurred on December 12 in Madikeri, the district headquarters of Kodagu.
According to the complaint, the victim, a resident of Maddur taluk in Mandya district, was befriended by a woman identified as Rachana through Facebook, who later sought financial assistance and received Rs 5,000 from him via PhonePe on November 28.
When he asked her to return the money, the woman allegedly asked him to travel to Mysuru or Kushalnagar, promising to meet him.
The police said the woman later called the victim to Madikeri on December 12 and took him to a house near the market area, where they spent some time and consumed alcohol in the evening.
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Later that night, citing an emergency, the woman left the house. After her departure, three men allegedly broke into the house and attacked the victim, assaulting him with a stick and the handle of a sword, causing injuries to his face, mouth, chest and leg, the FIR stated.
The complainant alleged that he was forcibly confined, stripped and a nude video of him was recorded. The accused also allegedly threatened him with a toy gun, demanding Rs 50 lakh and warning that the video would be uploaded on social media if the money was not paid.
Police said the victim was held captive and somehow managed to escape in the early hours of December 13. However, after he escaped, the accused allegedly attempted to kidnap him in an autorickshaw, an incident that was captured on CCTV cameras.
Based on his complaint at the Madikeri Town police station, a case was registered under Sections 310(2) (dacoity), 127(2) (wrongful confinement), 118(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, a senior police officer said.
“Four accused, including two women, have been arrested. Efforts are on to nab two more absconding accused. Further investigation is on,” he added.
