VIZIANAGARAM: A 33-year-old man, posing as a police officer, allegedly raped two minor tribal girls in Vizianagaram Agency. The incident took place on Saturday (January 1) and came to light on Sunday, after the girls along with their teachers and warden lodged a complaint at the Kurupam police station on Saturday night.
The accused has been identified as V Rambabu, a dossier criminal who has been involved in 13 property crime cases in the past. The police arrested the accused and presented him before the Magistrate.According to sources, the two girls—who are studying intermediate first year at a government residential college—went to Ravada village at Jiyyammavalasa Mandal in Vizianagaram district along with their male friends to spend time near a water body on New Year Day.
Noticing the girls and boys at the lonely place, Rambabu went to the spot on his bike and clicked a few photos posing as a police man. Later, he asked the boys to leave the place and took the girls to the nearest oil palm orchards under the Kurupam police station limits on his bike.
He allegedly raped the girls by threatening to send their photos to their parents and teachers. Rambabu also threatened them of uploading a video of the incident on social media platforms, if they inform anyone about what happened. However, the girls narrated the entire episode to their warden after reaching the hostel on Saturday night.
Based on their complaint, Kurupam police registered a case and initiated a manhunt to nab the accused. They arrested him late on Saturday night and sent the rape survivors to Kurupam Government Hospital for medical examination.Deputy Chief Minister Pamula Pushpa Srivani and superintendent of police Deepika M Patil visited the hospital and assured justice to the rape survivors.
Speaking to media, SP Deepika said, “Based on the complaint, we have registered a case against the accused under Sections 376 and 506 of IPC and Section 2 of the POCSO Act. The accused is involved in 13 property crime cases. We have arrested him and investigation is on. We will file the chargesheet in the case within a week.”
Stating that unfortunate incident happened in her constituency that too on New Year Day, deputy Chief Minister Pamula Pushpa Srivani said the government has been taking steps to punish the accused with the Disha Act spirit and promised that justice will be done to the victims.