VISAKHAPATNAM: Within hours after receiving the complaint, the Visakhapatnam city police arrested four individuals on charges of gang-raping a woman on Tuesday.
The accused were identified as Batha Vamsi (27), a final-year LLB student and worked part-time as a Swiggy delivery agent, Boddu Jagadish (27), a fellow final-year LLB student, also worked as a Swiggy delivery agent, Polipalli Anand (28), worked part-time as a cashier and the fourth accused, Davulapalli Rajesh (23), a final-year LLB student from Chepaluppada, was engaged in rod-bending works.
According to police, the victim, a third-year LLB student, had been in a relationship with Vamsi for over a year. He allegedly lured her into a room at Krishna Gardens on August 13, 2024. While the victim and Vamsi were in the room, Jagadish secretly filmed them through a window and later shared the video with Vamsi, Anand and Rajesh. The four accused used the video to threaten the victim and coerce her into sexual acts. The assault continued later that day in the same room. In another instance, Vamsi, Jagadish, and Rajesh took the victim to Thotlakonda, where they again threatened her with the video and sexually assaulted her in a secluded area.
Unable to endure the repeated assaults and threats, the victim attempted suicide on November 18 at her house in Pedagantyada. She was saved by her father, to whom she disclosed the incidents.
They subsequently filed a police complaint, leading to the arrests.
A case was registered at the II Town Police Station under Crime Number 287/2024. The charges include sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act-2023 and the Information Technology (IT) Act. Visakhapatnam Commissioner of Police (CP) Shankabrata Bagchi confirmed the arrests.
Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha condemned the incident and instructed the police to take stringent action against the accused.
“This is deeply unfortunate, and we are committed to supporting the victim’s family while taking steps to prevent such crimes,” she stated after discussions with the CP. Social Welfare Minister Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, also the district in-charge minister, praised the police for their swift action. “The government is firm in its commitment to women’s safety, and no leniency will be shown in such cases,” the Minister added.