VISAKHAPATNAM: In a swift move, the city police rescued a 14-year-old girl, who was subjected to sexual abuse and locked in a room with her hands and legs tied in a house located at Thadiveedhi area near KGH in the city. According to the police, the girl was subjected to physical abuse for three days by T Veerababu, who kidnapped her from Tuni railway station on April 2. The girl has been shifted to KGH for medical assistance. The police arrested Veerababu, a native of Tuni in East Godavari district.
Revealing the incident, deputy commissioner of police (law and order Zone-1) CM Trivikram Varma said that the girl managed to wriggle out and raised an alarm through a window on Saturday. One of the neighbours who heard the girl’s screams informed the police. The police rushed to the house and rescued the girl by breaking the locks of the house.
Revealing her ordeal, the girl told police that she was a Class VIII student and a native of Tuni. She was residing with her grandparents. As the school was closed for vacation, she went to her friend’s house in Tirupati, 10 days ago. After five days, the girl left Tirupati and reached Tuni along with her friend. At Tuni railway station, two unknown persons befriended her and brought her to Visakhapatnam. The two accused kept her in a house at Thadiveedhi near KGH convincing her that it was the house of Veerababu’s aunt.
Later, one person left and Veerababu started sexually abusing the girl. He allegedly raped her several times during the last three days in spite of her resistance. The accused left the house on Saturday after tying the girl’s hands and legs. However, Veerababu used to provide food and other essentials to the victim, the DCP said.
Two town police registered a case under sections 376, 366Ar/w, 34 IPC, section 3 of POCSO Act, section 5 of IT (P) Act and launched a probe. Meanwhile, the police received credible information regarding the whereabouts of Veerababu and arrested him from Anakapalle. During interrogation, the accused admitted to the crime. He was produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody.
The DCP said that further investigation was on and efforts were being made to trace the second accused.