KCR sanctions Rs 5 lakh for Pratyusha

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday announced Rs.5 lakh for a 19-year-old girl tortured by her father and stepmother. Pratyusha on Wednesday went to the chief minister's official residence after she was discharged from hospital. She had lunch with the chief minister, Home Minister N. Narasimha Reddy and others.

The victim was later sent to a hostel with the government taking responsibility of her education and stay. According to a statement from the chief minister's office, he told Pratyusha that she is free to visit his house at any time. The chief minister directed his deputy Kadiam Srihari to take care of her education. As the chief minister had invited her to stay in his house for few days after treatment, Pratyusha reached his house after meeting Hyderabad High Court's Acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale.

The chief justice, who had taken suo moto note of the shocking case, spoke to the girl for 25 minutes and inquired about her plans. Pratyusha refused to go to house of any relative. She also requested the chief justice to ensure that her father and stepmother are punished for the inhuman treatment meted out to her.

The girl stated that she will stay in a hostel and do B.Sc. Nursing. "I want to do the medical course and help the poor," she said. KCR, as the chief minister is popularly known, had met Pratyusha in the hospital on July 18 and promised to take care of her treatment and education. He had invited her to come to his house and stay for few days. He had promised to enrol in a good hostel.

The chief minister also assured the girl that he will allot her a house and perform her marriage after completion of her education. Pratyusha was rescued by police and child rights activists from the clutches of her stepmother Shyamala and father Ramesh, a telecom employee, on July 8.

The girl complained that she was tortured for several months. She had over a 100 injuries including cuts, burns and bruises all over her body. Ramesh had separated from Pratyusha's mother when she was five years old. Her mother died a few years ago.