Villagers block Eatala convoy

Karimnagar: Mild tension prevailed at Challur of Veenavanka mandal when the villagers blocked the convoy of Finance and Civil Supplies Minister Eatala Rajender, who visited the village to console the gang rape victim, on Sunday.

The activists of Dalit organisations, BJP Mahila Morcha and student JAC obstructed the Minister’s convoy in protest against the negligence of the police and the State government in taking action against the accused.

Agitating people raised slogans against Rajender “Minister go back”. They entered into an argument with the police when the latter tried to pacify the agitating people. Villagers alleged that DSP, CI and SI were trying to weaken the case by colluding with the accused. They demanded that action be taken against the police, who tried to weaken the case.

Referring to Huzurabad DSP’s comments that the victim was not getting training to appear for police selections, they found fault with the DSP for making such baseless comments.

The Finance Minister interacted with the victim and assured that justice would be restored to the victim. Later, speaking to the media, Rajender termed the incident as inhuman and informed that he already spoke to police officials after coming to know about the incident and directed them to book the case under Nirbhaya Act.

Referring to opposition parties’ statement, the Minister said it was not right time to talk about
politics.

Protests over gang rape

The gang rape of a Dalit woman by three youth sparked protests in the district here in Sunday. Women organizations, human rights activists, people’s organisations and activists of various political parties staged rasta rokos and burnt effigies across the district.

While All India Democratic Women Association activists staged protest at Telangana Chowk in Karimnagar town, CITU workers staged dharna at Kothirampur in protest against the gang rape.

AIDWA members demanded the government to do justice to the victim and take severe action against the accused and cops, who neglected the incident.

Similarly, BJP Mahila Morcha and Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi activists staged protest in Huzurabad. Civil Liberties Committee, Chaitanya Mahila Sangham and CPI activists staged dharna in front of Veenavanka police station in protest against the negligence of the police in dealing the case. Speaking on the occasion, CLC state leader M Kumaraswamy opined that the incident could have been averted had the cops responded immediately to the phone call made by one of the friends of the victim.

Instead of sending the victim for medical examination, police sent her to Warangal MGM hospital for treatment, he alleged and found fault with the cops for interrogating the girl for three days during the night time without arranging a woman constable. He alleged that the police were trying to dilute the case on the pretext that two out of the three accused were minors. Stating that a strong political lobby was trying to protect the accused, CLC leader informed that a police constable, Parasuramulu, sent the main accused Gotte Srinivas to Balharshah in Maharastra after the incident.