Hyderabad, July 03: State-level leaders of some 20 people’s, human rights and women’s organisations, under the auspices of State Women Rights Forum (SWRF), met here on Friday and resolved to chalk out a future course of action to put an end to the increasing crimes against women like gang rapes, murders, sexual harassment, acid attacks and so on.
Speaking to mediapersons here, the Dalit Stree Shakthi convenor, Ms G Jhansi, the State RPI president, Mr Bojja Tarakam and others enumerated several incidents of crime against women recently. They pointed out that one Mani Kumari of Kontheru village under Yalamanchili mandal of West Godavari district was repeatedly raped by a gang of sex maniacs for a fortnight. They also alleged that even police personnel also sexually assaulted the hapless victim in the police station branding her as a sex worker.
In Nellore, a housewife who was standing at the bus stop while her husband was buying food nearby was abducted in an autorickshaw and sexually assaulted. In Kadapa district, a 20-year-old B Tech student of Balijepally under Rajampet mandal had committed suicide by hanging following sexual harassment. They alleged that when a maid working in hotel in Karimnagar was gangraped, the police concerned sidetracked the case stating that the woman was a toddy addict.
In Guntur district, five women were injured in acid attacks in a week’s time and two women were gangraped on a single day. They also pointed out the case of a housewife being burnt ablaze by her husband suspecting her fidelity. In the latest incident, one Lavanya was attacked by a manic with a sickle.
They lamented that while crime against the women was on the increase day after day, the police machinery and the government was shielding the culprits for the reasons best known to them. Alleging that the police machinery was unofficially privatized and police stations becoming business centers where the “truth” was being sold, they said that hardcore criminals were committing heinous crimes and roaming in the society freely after greasing the palms of the concerned.
The leaders also charged the present government with failing miserably in ensuring protection to the Dalits and women. They also alleged that the Chief Minister managing everything by merely allocating the Home portfolio to a woman. The Chief Minister has to own moral responsibility for all the criminal activities in the State, they added.
–NSS