Andhra Pradesh: Guntur cops to file chargesheet against minor rape accused

VIJAYAWADA: Even before the enactment of the Disha Act, Guntur urban police in Andhra Pradesh are all set to file one of the quickest chargesheets against a minor rape accused. The cops arrested the accused (19) for allegedly kidnapping and raping a five-year-old Dalit girl in Guntur town on December 14.
According to cops, the incident happened on December 11 at around 5pm in the evening when the UKG student was returning from her school in an autorickshaw.The moment she got down the vehicle to enter her home, she noticed that her mother locked the door and went out. She then went inside the house of the accused while he was alone which is situated in the lower portion. Cops said that the little girl went inside his home as she called him ‘anna’ (brother).
As she was watching the TV, the accused forcefully disrobed her and allegedly raped her. He then assaulted the little child and threatened her not to reveal the incident to anybody or he would kill her. The girl did not reveal the incident to her parents for almost a day and confined herself in the house.
While the parents noticed that she was dull, she wasn’t eating anything citing stomach pain. They then noticed that she was bleeding from her private parts and upon inquiring further, the girl revealed the truth. At around 11pm on December 12, the parents lodged a complaint against the accused in Nagarampalem police station. Cops explained that they had arrested the accused on December 14 at 9pm while he was roaming near Chuttugunta centre in the city and was looking to flee the place. Officials said that they are expecting to file the chargesheet by next week.
Currently, the Pedavegi police in West Godavari district holds the record arguably in the whole country for filing the quickest chargesheet in a sexual assault case on a minor girl within 48 hours.
The Disha Bill proposed by the YSR Congress government mandates completion of investigation and trial of any case related to sexual assault on women and children within 21 days. While the Guntur Urban police may not best Pedavegi cops, they are looking to implement the mandated provisions of the Disha Bill in spirit.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)