Hyderabad, Aug 10: Rape of a minor girl by a councillor sparked outrage in Bodhan town of Nizamabad district with Muslim organisations demanding stringent punishment to the guilty.
Radha Krishna, councillor of Bodhan Municipality, sexually assaulted the girl after giving her lift in his car when she was on her way to buy medicines for her ailing mother.
The incident evoked all-round condemnation with demands for harshest punishment to the guilty.
Police arrested Radha Krishna, who had recently quit Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to join the Congress party. A case under Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered against him in Yedapally police station.
Last year, the Councillor’s brother had raped a minor Muslim girl and a case against him under POCSO Act is pending.
Jamiatul Ulama demanded that the councillor and his brother Ravi should be externed from the city. Its leaders said Rabi was also involved in rape of a minor Muslim girl a year ago. They said the two brothers were targeting poor and helpless Muslim girls.
Government advisor and former minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir expressed shock over the incident. He termed the incident a blot on civil service.
Shabbir, who was in Delhi, spoke to Bodhan MLA P. Sudershan Reddy and gathered details about the incident.
Shabbir spoke to Police Commissioner and sought action against him under stringent provisions of the criminal law. He also asked officials to take care of the treatment of the victim.
Shabbir said the police should take steps for strong arguments in the case to ensure exemplary punishment for the guilty so that such incidents are not repeated.
The Congress leader said the victim would be provided every possible help. Steps will also be taken to ensure that she get the benefits of government schemes.
Expressing sympathy with the family of the victim, Shabbir assured education, job and ex-gratia for the victim. The senior leader said it was even more shocking for him to know that the victim’s mother is mentally not sound.
The MLA promised that the victim will be allotted a double bed-room house. He visited the victim’s house and gave an assurance that she will be provided a job in Anganwadi.
The victim and her ailing mother live in an old rented house. The MLA provided the family two quintal rice and Rs.20,000 cash.
Urdu Academy Chairman Taher Bin Hamdan was also present with the MLA Sudershan Reddy. Condemning the incident, he called for a social boycott of those involved in anti-social activities.
Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) leader Amjed Ullah Khan visited the town to console the victim’s family. During his visit, there was a clash between supporters of MBT and Congress MLA Sudershan Redy.
MBT leader blamed the Congress leaders for maintaining silence on the incident. Amjed Ullah Khan wondered why Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Government Advisor Mohammed Ali Shabbir were silent and alleged that the entire Congress was indifferent to the issue.
“If the girl was from the SC/ST community, the entire state administration would have been at her house and the accused would have been killed in an encounter,” he said.
Khan met the victim’s family and handed over Rs 50,000 for the medical treatment of the girl who discontinued studies after passing SSC due to financial problems.
He demanded setting up of a special court for a speedy trial in the case and payment of compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the victim.
Amjed Ullah Khan claimed Muslims played a key role in bringing the Congress to power in the state. He further asked why the Congress leaders failed to visit the house of the victim, even two days after the incident.
