Vizag woman rape: Spectators also criminals, say Andhra Pradesh women's body

NEW DELHI: The rape of a destitute woman in Visakhapatnam, mutely watched by spectators and recorded by some, drew fire from the Andhra Pradesh Women's Commission, which demanded today that the onlookers be punished along with the rapist.

Drawing a parallel between the rapist and the spectators, Commission chairperson Nannapaneni Rajakumari demanded that those who watched her being raped in broad daylight or walked past her be punished.

Rajakumari, who asserted that the rapist and the onlookers had both committed a crime, said she would urge police officials to use CCTV footage to identify passersby who failed to take any action to stop the crime.

An auto-rickshaw driver was among the onlookers and allegedly recorded the entire incident on his mobile phone.

"We will ensure that the accused receives stringent punishment for the act and also request Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to offer compensation ranging between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 10 lakh to the victim," she added.

She said the Commission would provide medical care and shelter to the victim.

"This case should lead to awareness so that such incidents do not happen again," she told reporters here.

The 40-year-old woman was allegedly raped on Sunday by an inebriated man near a busy road. Some watched or even recorded the act.

Visakhapatnam's Assistant Commissioner of Police (East) A Narasimha Murthy said the auto driver recorded the incident on his mobile phone and called the police, who detained him.

Rajakumari, who was here to take part in a National Commission for Women (NCW) meeting, also said she had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to constitute a separate censor board for television serials.

"In the films of the good old days, women were portrayed as embodiments of endurance. But now they are portrayed negatively in TV serials. I request the prime minister to take the necessary steps in constituting a censor board for TV serials," she said in the letter, which was also sent to Union minister Smriti Irani.