Hyderabad Minor seeks refuge after cops fail to arrest stalker

HYDERABAD: The ‘MeToo’ hashtags might have taken over the Internet, but in real world, victims are changing homes while perpetrators of violence roam free.Three days after a 17-year-old’s father lodged an FIR with Nellikudur police station in Mahbubabad district against a history-sheeter for threatening to kill his daughter, the accused has not been arrested. Fearing backlash, the girl left her house and has taken refuge in a relative’s house in the city. Her father alleged that Aluvala Harish had been harassing her for past six months after she turned down his proposal. 

The accused has been booked for stalking, insulting the modesty of a woman and criminal intimidation, under Secs 354 (D), 509, 506 of IPC besides sexual harassment under Sec 11 and 12 of POCSO — all non-bailable offenses.“My niece and parents were very scared, and that’s why they came to Hyderabad. Their fear is not unfounded. It took us four hours and multiple calls from the SP to just get the FIR lodged. The accused has colluded with the local SI, Rajkumar G, which is why even after three days, he hasn’t been arrested,” said the girl’s uncle, a software professional.

The incident came to light last week, when Harish allegedly threatened to kill the minor and her parents, if she did not accept his proposal. “Scared, she informed her parents. But they did not approach police and came to Hyderabad and got in touch with Balala Hakula Sangham,” said Achyuta Rao, president of the Sangham. Later, her father and his brother-in-law, went back to Warangal to lodge a complaint after BHS’s intervention. Meanwhile, BHS escalated the matter to Child Welfare Committee. Its chairperson Anitha Reddy has written to the SP seeking action.