Andhra: Dalit minor girl gang-raped for two years, impregnated, pressurised to marry one of the accused

In a horrific incident, a 15-year-old dalit girl got pregnant after being subjected to gang-rape for almost two years in Sri Satya district of Andhra Pradesh. Thirteen accused have been arrested after the victim’s mother approached the police earlier this month.

 

According to police, six accused were arrested on June 9, and seven others were held on June 10, while the main accused is still at large. Those arrested have been remanded in judicial custody.

 

A case has been registered under various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Prevention of SC/ST Atrocities Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

 

The girl, who is eight months pregnant, is currently receiving treatment at a government general hospital in Ananthapur district. Police said she will be moved to a safer location after the delivery with the help of the Child Welfare Committee.

 

The preliminary investigation suggested that the perpetrators had blackmailed the girl using some of her 'inappropriate images and videos'.

 

"Despite being pregnant for eight months, no local alerted the officials. We believe caste stigma and fear led to the community's silence over the repeated abuse," a police officer told news agency PTI.

 

Police also suspect that some villagers pressured the girl into marrying one of the accused to close the case.

 

According to an Indian Express report, the victim belongs to the SC (Madiga) community, while the accused are from an influential caste.

 

“There is a very small population of SCs in the village. Of the 17 accused, 14 are from the Boya community, while the three who kept quiet are from the SC community. When the case came to light, the Boya community leaders allegedly tried to get the girl married to her SC classmate and hush up the matter,” an official told the newspaper.

 

The victim's father passed away three years ago, and her mother is a labourer. Police believe their vulnerable situation may have made them more susceptible to community pressure and silence.

India