VIJAYAWADA: Taking serious note of two distressing incidents involving girls in the combined Anantapur district, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed police officials to deal sternly with crimes against women.
He emphasized that the state must instill fear in the minds of potential offenders by demonstrating swift and strict law enforcement action.
On Tuesday, the CM held a review meeting at his Camp Office in Undavalli regarding the murder of an intermediate student in Anantapur and the rape of a minor girl in Yedugurallapalli, Ramagiri mandal of Sri Sathya Sai district.
The Director General of Police (DGP) and other senior officials briefed the Chief Minister on the progress of investigations in both cases. He was informed that the girl killed in Anantapur, identified as S Tanmayi, was murdered by someone known to her. In the Yedugurallapalli case, a group of individuals had been repeatedly sexually assaulting a minor girl over a period of time—a deeply disturbing crime.
The Chief Minister expressed deep anguish over the incidents and, after reviewing the case details, emphasized that the accused must be punished without delay.
He instructed officials to complete investigations quickly, file charge sheets, and ensure that trials are concluded at the earliest. He stressed the importance of gathering strong evidence with utmost care to ensure the harshest possible punishment for the accused.
He further stated that not just these two cases, but any instance of violence, abuse, or sexual assault against women must be met with decisive police action that sends a clear message to society. Referring to the previous government, he remarked that for five years there had been no control over criminal activities, and due to the proliferation of drug and ganja culture, many offenders acted with impunity.
He issued strict instructions to crack down on ganja gangs and stated that the police are being given a free hand to act. “A 100% visible change must be achieved,” he asserted.
Chief Secretary K Vijayanand, DGP Harish Kumar Gupta, Intelligence Chief Mahesh Chandra Laddha, and other officials were present.
Accused in Tanmayi murder case arrested
The main accused in the murder of intermediate student S Tanmayi, 27-year-old Kuruba Naresh, a resident of 6th Road, Anantapur town, was arrested on Tuesday. Providing details at a press conference Anantapur District SP P Jagadish said that the accused, Naresh, a married tiles worker with no children, had developed a relationship with Tanmayi while working near her home in Ramakrishna Colony. They had planned to get married. However, Naresh later decided to eliminate her, allegedly because she was well-acquainted with others in the colony.
On the night of June 3, the accused lured Tanmayi to the fields of Gotkur village in Kuderu mandal around 10 pm. On June 4, he fatally struck her on the back of the head with a stone. As part of the investigation, Naresh was arrested at 12 pm on Tuesday under Section 103 of the BNS, Section 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The bike and two stones used in the crime were seized.
The SP added that a proposal would be sent to the government to cancel all welfare schemes for such families and to attach their properties. He also stated that he would request the judiciary to ensure that such cases are resolved expeditiously. One Town CI G Rajendranath Yadav has been suspended for negligence in the investigation.