The Vakapalli gang rape case that was scheduled for Tuesday at the special court in Visakhapatnam that handles cases under the SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, has been adjourned for the third time in the last 15 days and it will now be heard on December 18.
Two of the surviving nine victims out of a total of 11, Pangi Sitayeei and Kora Janakamma were present at the court, when the hearing was adjourned. But the charges were framed before the adjournment.
According to Janakamma on December 18, the schedule for the trial will be given. The victims have already filed a writ petition at the AP High Court and have submitted a petition to the Collector demanding that they be allowed to select the public prosecutor and assistant public prosecutor of their choice to fight their case.
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This is our right, as the SC, ST (POA) Act empowers the government to appoint an Exclusive Special Public Prosecutor so desired by victims in to prosecute the case. But so far there has been no response from the government, said Janakamma.
On August 20, 2007, 11 Adivasi women of Vakapalli village in Nurmati panchayat of G. Madugula mandal in the agency region of Visakhapatnam district, were allegedly gang-raped by 21 personnel of Greyhounds, the elite anti-naxal force of AP, and since then the victims have been fighting for a ‘just space’ in a legal battle.
After 10 years of fight, the Supreme Court, on September 1 ordered the fast-tracking of the case by a special court.
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“There will be no fairness in the case if we are not given the PP and the APP of our choice, which is our right,” said Seetayeei.