Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Taneti Vanitha on Monday asserted that stern action would be taken against those responsible for the gang-rape of a 27-year-old woman at Repalle railway station in the neighbouring Bapatla district.
The Minister met the victim who was being treated at the Government General Hospital (GGH) in Ongole.
“The Repalle police have taken swift action and nabbed the culprits within hours of the unfortunate incident. Even as the incident occurred on the railway station premises which is under the control of the Union government, the State police acted proactively and nabbed the culprits who tried to kill the woman after committing the crime,” said the Home Minister after reviewing the action taken by the police.
Ex gratia
Ms. Vanitha, accompanied by her Cabinet colleague A. Suresh and Andhra Pradesh Women’s Commission Chairperson Vasireddy Padma, handed over a cheque for ₹4.12 lakh, half of the ex gratia amount, to the victim under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
With a lot of foresight, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) had ensured the passage of the woman-friendly Disha Bill soon after the gang-rape and murder of a veterinarian in Hyderabad, she said, adding it was unfortunate the piece of landmark legislation, which was expected to have a deterrent effect, had not been cleared by the Centre yet.
Mr. Suresh accused the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) of trying to politicise the incident with ‘ulterior motives’.
Meanwhile, tense situation prevailed near the Nellore bus stand centre as women activists of the TDP obstructed the convoy of the Home Minister. They raised slogans asking the Ministers and the Women's Commission Chairperson to go back. The police had a tough time in dispersing the protesters. A woman fainted as the police personnel bodily lifted the protesters following jostling.
Protests galore
Activists of the All India Democratic Women's Association and Kula Vivaksha Porata Sangam (KVPS) staged demonstrations in front of the Prakasam Bhavan here, demanding enhanced ex gratia and a government job to the victim.
AIDWA city president K. Ramadevi took strong exception to the police denying entry of representatives of women's organisation into the GGH to meet the victim.
TDP legislator Dola Balaveeranjenya Swamy alleged that he was not allowed to meet the victim. The opposition party will keep exerting pressure on the government to ensure justice to the victim, who hails from Yerragondapalem, the home constituency of Mr. Suresh, he said.
