GUNTUR: Two persons were taken into custody on Tuesday for their alleged involvement in the sexual assault on a nurse at the Seethanagaram Pushkar Ghat in Tadepalli a couple of days ago. It is learnt that the police had warned the duo of severe action two days prior to the incident while they were roaming at the Pushkar Ghat at night.
Four teams were formed by Guntur Urban Superintendent of Police Arif Hafeez to nab the accused. The Central Crime Station and Task Force sleuths of Vijayawada City Police have also launched a search operation for the offenders, suspected to be ‘blade batch’ members and rounded up several history-sheeters.
Based on the mobile phone signals at the time of offence, the police picked up the duo from Seethanagaram.During questioning, it was found that the duo fled in a country boat to Mangalagiri where they sold away the mobile phones and jewellery snatched from the nurse belonging to Vijayawada and her fiance.
According sources, the duo have past history of targeting women moving alone at the river ghats. One of the suspect was arrested for harassing a couple at Machilipatnam beach a few months ago and the other is a suspect in a murder case, sources added. The victim reportedly identified one of the accused and told the police that she could identify the voice of the other.
Home Minister Mekathoti Sucharita, who visited the victim at the Guntur Government General Hospital, confirmed that two suspects were picked up and they would be presented before the media after establishing the fact that they had committed the atrocity. The Home Minister handed over a cheque for Rs 5 lakh to the mother of the victim at the GGH. The doctors said the health condition of the victim was stable and she would be discharged in a couple of days. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy described the incident as shocking and it hurt him deeply.
Speaking on the sidelines of release of financial aid under the YSR Cheyutha scheme, he said, “The unfortunate incident that took place on that night at Prakasam Barrage has enraged me.” “I strongly believe that true freedom is achieved only when women can move freely in the middle of the night without any fear. As your protector, I will work hard to prevent recurrence of such incidents in the future,” he said.
Rs 5L given to victim
M Sucharita, Home Minister, handed over a cheque for Rs 5 lakh to the mother of the victim after visiting her at the Government General Hospital