VISAKHAPATNAM: Sixteen years after 11 tribal women were allegedly gang-raped at a hamlet in Vakapalli, Alluri Sitarama Raju district, the XI Additional District and Sessions Judge cum Special Court under the SC & ST (PoA) Act on Thursday acquitted all the 13 accused policemen. The Judge said the accused were not found guilty for the offences registered against them under Section 376 (2) (g) of IPC and Section 3(2)(v) of SC & ST (PoA) Act, 1989.
The court observed that the acquittal was primarily because of the two investigating officers, who failed to conduct a proper investigation. The court ordered that Sivananda Reddy, one of the investigating officers, be referred to the Apex Committee constituted for his failure to conduct probe. The committee has been constituted to inquire into the conduct of those investigating officers ignored the investigation by scuttling complaints.
Despite acquitting the policemen, the court ordered that the rape survivors should be paid compensation through the District Legal Services Authority. “Since the accused are acquitted due to failure of the investigating officers in conducting proper probe, the victims are entitled to compensation. The District Legal Services Authority, Vizag must decide on the quantum of compensation after due enquiry and must pay the same as damages due to their victimisation of sexual assault and other crimes since 2007,” the court ordered.
On the same day, 11 tribal women belonging to Khonds had complained that they were sexually assaulted by the cops. After a protracted battle in the High Court and Supreme Court, the trial began in Visakhapatnam in 2018 and continued for four years.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Forum (HRF) leaders Y Rajesh and VS Krishna said the fact that the court ordered compensation for Vakapalli rape survivors shows that the court reposed faith in their depositions. “It vindicated the long-standing allegation of women, adivasi and rights organisations that the investigation was compromised at the very inception of the case,” they said.
Cops vs Tribals
11 tribal women belonging to Khonds, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group, had complained that they were sexually assaulted by the cops