A 14-year-old girl, studying Std. VIII, was allegedly raped by five youths, all juveniles, at a house in Nakkavanipalem, under the Gajuwaka police station limits. Though the incident reportedly took place on October 1, it came to light on Monday morning after the Gajuwaka Police filed a case based on the statement given by the victim and her parents.
According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (Gajuwaka) Ram Mohan Rao, the parents of the victim - the father is an autorickshaw driver - refrained from lodging a complaint fearing social stigma and boycott, especially as they have an elder daughter who is supposed to be married soon.
Based on a late night scroll by a television channel on Sunday, the police identified the victim and approached the parents on Monday morning, who lodged the complaint.
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According to the police, two of the accused were known to the victim and one of them took her to his room to practice dance, and later four others joined them and allegedly took turns to rape the girl. There is a twist to the incident.
Sources say despite fearing the stigma, when the parents were about to lodge the complaint, a local TDP leader (a former corporator) with the help of a couple of policemen tried to influence them to refrain from lodging the complaint, and even tried to settle the matter by paying some amount to them.
He also threatened them with social boycott.
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Accused arrested
According to Gajuwaka Inspector Emmanuel Raj, the police had identified all the five accused, traced three of them and that they were being questioned.
“We are on the lookout for the others,” he said.
On the involvement of the TDP leader and the policemen, the ACP told The Hindu , “We have also heard of this and we are verifying its veracity. We are investigating the case and trying to ascertain if some policemen in the lower ranks are involved.”
The victim has been sent for medical examination and investigation is on, the police officer said.