Members of the Karnataka State Anganwadi Workers and Assistants Federation district committee took out a protest rally in Bidar on Monday, demanding action against alleged accused in a case of gang rape case reported from Chintaki in Aurad taluk.
Protesters marched to the Deputy Commissioner’s office and shouted slogans against `police inaction.’ They said the police were trying to protect the offenders. Police officers are suspecting the victim’s version and have not arrested the accused yet, they said.
Leader Shivaraj Katagi suspected political forces at play and demanded that the accused be arrested immediately and the victim protected. He said that Anganwadi workers were serving villages for decades for a small amount of money. Some of them have faced sexual assault and even murder. Such things should not repeat. Anganwadi workers should be protected. They should feel safe to work in villages, he said.
He warned that if the accused were not arrested soon, the federation will organise a State-wide Aurad chalo protest.
Sheela Sagar, Basamma Haroorgeri, Shakuntala Amalapur and others were present.
An Angawadi worker was allegedly gang raped on December 27 in Chintaki in Aurad taluk. The victim named nine men and accused her sister as an accomplice in the incident. Bidar police are yet to arrest anyone in the case.
