‘Villagers pressured her to marry one of the accused’: Dalit girl ‘gangraped’ for 2 years in Andhra Pradesh; 8 months pregnant, 13 arrested | Vijayawada News
NEW DELHI: Thirteen people have been arrested in Edgurallapalli, Andhra Pradesh, in connection with the alleged gangrape of a 15-year-old Dalit girl that continued for two years, leading to her pregnancy. The case came to light on June 9 after the victim filed a complaint, with police registering charges under POCSO Act, SC/ST Atrocities Act, and BNS.Six suspects were arrested on June 9, including Achampalli Vardhan, Talari Murali, Badagorla Nandavardhan Raj, Arencheru Nagaraju, Boya Sanjeev, and Budida Rajanna, aged between 21 and 51 years. Seven more arrests followed on June 10, while the main accused remains at large.“In this heinous case, the accused were identified, traced, and arrested with coordination by special teams under Dharmavaram subdivision,” said Sri Satya Sai district Superintendent of Police V Ratna at a press conference.The investigation revealed that the perpetrators allegedly blackmailed the victim using inappropriate images and videos. The girl, now eight months pregnant, is receiving treatment at a government hospital in Ananthapur district, with doctors ruling out abortion due to the advanced pregnancy stage.Police are working with the Child Welfare Committee to relocate the girl post-delivery. They have requested permission for DNA testing of the unborn child for legal proceedings.“Despite being pregnant for eight months, no local alerted the officials. We believe caste stigma and fear led to the community’s silence over the repeated abuse,” said a police official.The victim, a government school student, comes from a vulnerable background with her mother working as a laborer and father deceased. Police suspect this situation made them susceptible to community pressure and silence.Some villagers allegedly pressured the girl to marry one of the accused to close the case. Police are investigating possible lapses by school, health, and child protection officials.Several arrested individuals have criminal records. Special teams have been formed to apprehend those still absconding. The arrested accused are in judicial custody, and the minor has been placed under the Juvenile Justice Board.The district administration has committed to ensuring the victim’s safety, medical care, legal support, and psychological assistance during recovery. They are investigating the case and examining potential institutional oversights.(The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
