13 cops to face probe for rape

HYDERABAD: The AP High Court on Thursday refused to stall the criminal proceedings against 13 policemen accused of raping 11 tribal women at Vakapalli village in Visakhapatnam district on August 8, 2007.

Justice B Seshasayana Reddy, dealing with the petition filed by 21 policemen seeking stay of all further proceedings as directed by the first class magistrate of Paderu in Visakhapatnam district, allowed the petition of eight policemen, while refusing to stall prosecution against the remaining 13. The judge, in his order, pointed out that the eight policemen, who were part of the contour party, were outside the village at that time and could not have been part of the crime. The 21 policemen were members of a special party combing the area for Maoists.

As many as 11 tribal women of Vakapalli of Madugula mandal in Visakhapatnam were allegedly raped by armed police constables. The CB-CID had said it was a false allegation but the victims had challenged it.

Prosecution will continue against the remaining 13 constables--A Ravi Kumar, D Ravi, B Ravi Kumar, DVR Suresh, R Srinu, K Devullu, T Prasad, Ch Vijaya Kumar, S Tata Babu, D Simhachalam, R Chandrasekhar, R Devanadh and S Srinivasa Rao.

As many as 11 tribal women of Vakapalli of Madugula mandal in Visakhapatnam district were allegedly raped by the armed police constables. The CB-CID which probed the case said in its report that it was a false allegation. The victims challenged it before the magistrate of Paderu, who ordered an investigation. However, this was stayed by the High Court at the instance of the police arrayed as accused. The victims then approached the Supreme Court to vacate the stay. In November 2010, the apex court lifted the stay and ordered that the case be resolved in six months.