Minor girl hangs self

Harassment by police, leaders alleged

Hyderabad : A minor girl, Rajyashri (17), committed suicide on Tuesday night by hanging after being allegedly subjected to frequent threats by local leaders and police in the CC Nagar area of Gandhinagar. Her relatives staged a dharna in front of the local police station with the body demanding justice.

According to her family members, Rajyashri was living with two elder brothers. They had lost parents at an early age. Kishore, the eldest brother, allegedly eloped recently with a local girl. Her parents lodged a complaint against Kishore on April 20. Since then he had been absconding.

Police launched search operations after registering a case. As part of the interrogation, they allegedly threatened and harassed Rajyashri asking for Kishore's whereabouts. Besides, local leaders who tried to settle the elopement case, also said to have abused her, and threatened with rape, as she mostly lived alone.A Both the leaders and police 'used filthy language' while seeking details of her brother. On Tuesday when the other brother was not home, Rajyashri took the extreme step of hanging.

The brother, along with some relatives, rushed her to Gandhi Hospital; but doctors declared her brought dead. Upset, he and relatives staged a dharna before the police station. They called off the protest following an assurance by Chikkadpally ACP Chandrasekhar Reddy of doing 'justice' to the victim. They allowed the body to be taken for post-mortem.