Andhra Pradesh: 16-year-old girl gangraped by six men in Ongole

VIJAYAWADA: A 16-year-old girl was allegedly held captive and gangraped by six men for seven days at Ongole in Prakasham district.
According to the police four of the accused are pursuing engineering diploma (polytechnic) of which three of them are minors. All the accused have been arrested.
The incident came to the light after the girl was dumped by the accused at Ongole bus station on Saturday night.
The girl was noticed by a home guard who in turn informed the Shakti team which rescued the girl following which she narrated her ordeal to them.
Speaking to TOI, the Prakasham district SP Siddarth Kaushal said that the girl was a native of Nallapadu in Guntur town. She met a guy called Ammisetti Ramu at a Vijayawada hospital where her ailing grandfather was being treated. He was said to be a car driver from Ongole. They both exchanged phone numbers before leaving the hospital.
The girl started to speak to Ramu after her going back to Guntur. Noticing her speaking on the phone, the girl’s mother scolded her on June 15.
Angered with her mother, the girl left her home on June 16 to meet Ramu who reportedly asked her to come to Ongole, according to her statement.
However, Ramu did not turn up at the bus station and he could not be reached over his phone either. The girl stayed at Ongole bus station waiting for him.
As her phone battery was dry, she went to a shop at the bus station asked a man for help to get her phone charged.
As she put her phone on charging, the man identified as Shaik Baji (20) started a conversation with her. Taking advantage of her situation, the man laid a trap by claiming that he knows Ramu and he would take her to him. He also asked her to stay in the room attached to the shop for the night.
Believing his words, the girl went with him. After he took her to the room he abused her sexually and held her captive.
Later, his friends Ravula Srikanth Reddy (23) and P Mahesh (19), both polytechnic student and three other minor students came to the room. They gangraped the girl multiple times. On June 22 evening, they dumped the girl at Ongole bus station again giving her some money and threatened her not to tell anyone about the incident.
The SP observed that the girl was traumatised when she was found in the bus stop. She started to open up after the Shakti teams, specially trained for women protection, counselled her. She slowly recollected what had happened and explained everything.
After knowing about the incident, police swung into action to nab the culprits. They caught four of them but two others were still on the run. “Our men chased a train in which one of the minor accused was trying to escape and caught him near Bitragunta,” said the SP.
A case has been booked against all the six accused under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and further investigation is still underway. We are also searching for the girl’s friend Ramu and investigating how the girl was not noticed for a week by anyone, the SP added.
DGP assures toughest action against perpetrators
Condemning the incident, state DGP Gautam Sawang said that safety and security of women and children is given highest priority by the Andhra Pradesh Police. He said the perpetrators will be dealt with tough measures.
Sawang appreciated Prakasham district SP Siddarth Kaushal and other officials for prompt and immediate action.
The top cop urged the young girls to be more cautious and careful while they move around and travel.
He also appealed people to give information to police when they notice something wrong in their surroundings.
“It was one such spirited person who gave the information to the police which led to the prompt action and detection of the case,” he said.
The DGP instructed the SP to see to that the case must be investigated thoroughly to achieve successful conviction of the accused.
Meanwhile, home minister Mekathoti Sucharitha spoke to Siddarth Kaushal and enquired about the health of the girl who is presently being treated at Ongole government hospital.
Minister Balineni Srinivas Reddy visited the girl at hospital and assured her of all help from the state government. He said the perpetrators will be brought to the book and toughest punishment will be given to them.