Cops found guilty of rape won't be spared: Rosaiah

Chief Minister K Rosaiah on Thursday assured the Legislative Council that policemen accused of committing atrocities on Girijan women in Baaluguda village of Munchingput mandal in Visakhapatnam district on Jan 22 would be taken to task, if found guilty.

Rosaiah said action would be taken against the cops if the probe report hold the accused guilty. The government had no intention of hushing up the case or protecting the guilty, the Chief Minister said intervening Home Minister P Sabitha Indira Reddy’s reply to a question posed by an Independent member during the Question Hour.

Earlier, Home Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy maintained that the police personnel had not committed any atrocities on Girijan women at Baaluguda, but the inquiry had been ordered following a complaint lodged by the public representatives of the Agency.

The Home Minister said no complaint had been lodged by the aleged victims.

A criminal case was also registered against the special party police on Jan 26 in connection with the alleged rape of four Kondh Adivasi women at Baaluguda in Munchingput mandal on Jan 22. Based on a complaint from Baaluguda village secretary Ch Bhupathi, the police registered the case at Munchingput police station under section 376 of IPC and section 3 (12) of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the cops.

Women and rights activists alleged that Greyhounds cops entered the houses of the four women after rounding up nine tribal men and allegedly raped them. Six of the men were let off after cases were registered, while criminal cases were booked against three others who were remanded in judicial custody.