VIJAYAWADA: Three men were arrested for allegedly raping a 23-year-old differently-abled woman at a secluded place on the Government General Hospital premises here on Thursday, police said. While one of them reportedly raped the woman promising a job, the two others took turns in abusing her by offering help to get her married to her initial tormentor.
Detailing the case, City Police Commissioner Kanthi Rana Tata said the woman had been missing from home since Tuesday, and Nunna police formed special teams to trace her based on her parents’ complaint. On learning that she had met D Srikanth of Vambay Colony on Tuesday night, police questioned him. The man, however, told the investigators that he had sent the woman off in an autorickshaw.
“Our investigation, however, revealed that Srikanth had taken the woman near the GGH in an autorickshaw, promising her a job. He sexually assaulted her behind the hospital and left her there itself on Wednesday morning,” Rana said.
After Srikanth had left, his friend Babu Rao, a pest controller in the hospital, and another acquaintance Pawan Kalyan noticed her roaming on the hospital premises. The duo promised to convince Srikanth into marrying her, and later sexually abused the woman, Rana added.
She was found unconscious on Thursday morning, and a number in a booklet she had with her helped the police identify the woman and contact her parents. Based on her statement, police arrested Srikanth (26) and his friends Ch Babu Rao of Seetharamapuram and Pawan Kalyan of Wynchipet, both aged 23.
Commissioner Rana said the woman was subjected to a medical examination. Disha ACP V V Naidu has been appointed as the special investigating officer to follow up the case. Earlier in the day, former MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao and CPM State leader Ch Babu Rao staged a protest in front of the Nunna police station demanding justice for the woman.
3 perpetrators arrested
Based on the victim’s statement, police arrested D Srikanth (26) of Vambay Colony and his friends Ch Babu Rao of Seetharamapuram and Pawan Kalyan of Wynchipet, both aged 23