Hyderabad: A 33-year-old tribal woman, a mother of five and a daily-wage labourer, was brutally gang-raped and murdered near the Edupayala temple in the Kulcharam mandal of Medak district, Telangana. The shocking incident has reignited concerns over women’s safety in the region.

The woman left her home on Friday morning after allegedly being offered work by the accused. Instead of taking her to a labour site, the perpetrators lured her to an isolated location near the temple where she was assaulted, gang-raped, and violently beaten. She was tied to a tree and left unconscious with severe injuries, including a fractured hand and a grievous head wound reportedly inflicted by a boulder.

Residents discovered the victim unconscious under a tree on Saturday morning and immediately alerted the Kulcharam police. The police responded swiftly and transported her to a nearby government hospital. Due to the seriousness of her injuries, she was referred to Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad. Tragically, the woman succumbed to her injuries en route to Hyderabad on Saturday night.

Following the victim’s death, police altered the initial charges from rape and attempted murder to rape and murder. Authorities have launched an intensive investigation, examining CCTV footage from surrounding areas to identify and apprehend the culprits. The woman’s body has been sent for a post-mortem examination as part of the ongoing probe.

The brutal nature of the crime has deeply disturbed local residents, particularly those near the frequently visited Edupayala temple, and triggered widespread calls for swift justice and stronger measures to ensure the safety of women from vulnerable communities. The Medak police have pledged that justice will be delivered without delay and that concerted efforts are being made to track down and arrest those responsible.