Series of horrific crimes against minors leave Andhra shaken

Amaravati, July 18 (IANS) A series of horrific crimes against minor girls in Andhra Pradesh during the last few days have raised concern, with women groups and activists calling for strong measures to check the disturbing trend.

At least four minor girls have been raped and murdered in the incidents reported from different parts of Andhra Pradesh this month.

The most shocking of them was the gang rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl by three juvenile boys on July 7 in Nandyal District.

In the latest incident on July 17, an eight-year-old girl was found murdered in Tirupati District. The victim’s body was found in the Nelaballi forest area under Doravarisatram mandal. The eight-year-old was the daughter of a migrant from Bihar working at a rice mill in the area.

Police suspect that a youth took the child by offering her biscuits and she was assaulted and killed at a place near the rice mill.

Police have launched a hunt for the youth.

In another incident in Guntur District on July 15, a Class 8 girl was found dead under suspicious circumstances in the house of a gas delivery boy.

The 13-year-old student, who had not returned home from school, was found dead in the house of the gas delivery boy, who was absconding.

The incident took place in Kothareddipalem Village of Chebrolu mandal of Guntur District.

On July 6, one B. Suresh (26) allegedly murdered a 13-year-old girl in her house with a knife. The shocking incident occurred at Koppigondapalem village of Rambilli Mandal in Anakapalle District. During the investigations police found that Suresh was arrested by the police in April this year on the charge of harassing Darshini. He was released on bail last month. Five days later, Suresh’s decomposed body was found near the village. According to police he had consumed poison.

A minor girl was attacked by a 20-year-old youth in Visakhapatnam on July 17. The minor’s mother tried to intervene and was injured. The suspect had harassed the girl earlier and was in jail for a few months.

In Anantapur District, the owner of a photocopy shop was arrested for trying to outrage the modesty of a girl on July 14. The victim is a 14-year-old girl, a student of eighth standard.

In another horrific crime, a six-month-old girl was sexually assaulted by a 45-year-old man in Vizianagaram. Boina Yerakanna Dora, said to be a relative of the infant, went into the room in the absence of the parents and sexually assaulted her.

Her parents grew suspicious as the infant was crying relentlessly. Later, she was admitted to a hospital.

Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha announced that the state government has decided to constitute a special trial court for the Nandyal and Vizianagaram incidents.

The government also announced ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakh for the family of the rape and murder victim in Nandyal District and Rs.5 lakh for the infant in Vizianagaram District.

The Nadyal District incident has sent shock waves across the state. The body of the victim is yet to be found.

Police said the father and uncle of one of the minor boys involved in the gang rape and murder have been arrested as they threw the body of the victim in a canal to wipe out the evidence.

Two police officers were suspended on dereliction of duty in connection with the case as they displayed a nonchalant attitude towards the missing complaint filed by the victim’s parents.

The girl went missing on July 7 while playing at a ground under the limits of Muchumarri police station. While investigating the missing complaint, police zeroed in on the three minors with the help of sniffer dogs.

The boys studying in class VI and VII confessed that they gang raped and killed the girl. Two of the accused are 15, while the third is 12 years old. The investigations revealed that the accused took the girl to a place near a temple at Muchumarri Lift Irrigation Project pump house, where they raped and murdered her.

The boys hid the body near the canal. After returning home one of the boys informed his father and uncle about the gang rape and murder. They went to the place where the boys had hidden the victim’s body. They carried the body to some distance and after tying a boulder to her, threw her into the canal.

Anti-trafficking activist Sunitha Krishnan expressed anguish over the incident.

She urged Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to develop an institutional mechanism within the education system to address hyper-sexualisation of young children, exposure to porn, sex and sexuality.

“Urging you to please use this horrifying instance as a state pledge to do everything possible to prevent such crimes. I stand with you for all such efforts,” she posted on X, tagging CM Naidu.

The Chief Minister responded saying their government has absolutely zero tolerance for crimes. “This crime has left us all deeply disturbed and alarmed, forcing us to reflect on where we are headed as a society. I agree that institutional-level mechanisms to sensitise and protect children are now necessary, and we have initiated the revamping of the curriculum from KG to PG in that direction,” he posted.

CM Naidu also urged parents to closely supervise their children and ensure they aren't on the wrong path.

“This issue is of grave concern, and I assure every parent that it will be dealt with strictly, swiftly and holistically. We stand firmly with the family of this daughter of AP, and assure them that no stone will be left unturned in seeking justice for her,” wrote Naidu.

On the Nandyal incident, Deputy Chief Minister and actor Pawan Kalyan felt that the problem goes beyond physical education.

He is of the view that young minds are being corrupted and spoiled due to various factors. Pawan Kalyan said reading about the incident was a deep shock for him.

“Even the perpetrators are minor. That is quite disturbing for me,” he said.

YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) Mahila wing President and Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Varudu Kalyani voiced concern over the alarming rise in attacks on women and girls. She alleged that the NDA government headed by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has failed to check the growing number of crimes against women and children.

She said it is the fundamental responsibility of the government to ensure the safety and security of its citizens, especially women and children.

The MLC said the failure to trace the body of a missing girl for 12 days reflects the government's incompetence.

Neither CM Naidu nor the Deputy Chief Minister have visited the child’s parents to console them and the law and order situation in the state has worsened, leaving girls and women without protection.

The MLC said Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha claimed that all girls under the coalition government can sleep peacefully but incidents in her own constituency contradict this.

She said TDP leaders stripped two women and dragged them on the road in Home Minister Anitha’s constituency and a girl was murdered in Anakapalle District. She slammed the TDP government for focusing only on revenge against YSR Congress leaders and filing cases, rather than governing impartially.

She said the previous YSRCP government had taken many initiatives for the safety and security of women. It had set up 18 Disha police stations, fast-track courts, POCSO courts, and 3000 vehicles for Disha calls.

She said that the state was able to protect 2,800 women and girls through the Disha app.

YSRCP MP Vijayasai Reddy questioned why the coalition government is silent on the crimes reported during the last 40 days.

They could have released a white paper on this, he said, referring to a series of white papers released by the Chief Minister on various subjects.