Suspect held in rape case as probe picks up

GUNTUR : A day after the alleged sexual assault on a nurse at the Sitanagaram Pushkar Ghat came to light, police have launched a massive search operation for the two accused who fled towards Vijayawada in a country-boat. One suspect has reportedly been taken into custody for questioning.

Police teams of Guntur and Krishna district and also the Vijayawada City Police Commissionerate have been instructed to speed up the probe and nab the accused at the earliest, Director General of Police Gautam Sawang said Monday. Condemning the incident, Sawang said such unfortunate incidents are happening even after the police are taking all measures.

Probe picks up pace in Guntur rape case; Home min visits victim

“The government is giving top priority to the safety of women and we urge all the women and girls to install Disha mobile app,’’ he appealed.Four special teams formed under the supervision of Guntur Urban SP Arif Hafeez have intensified the probe. According to sources, tracking the mobile phone signals of the victims, whose phones were snatched away by the accused, one person was taken into custody for questioning. They revealed that local history-sheeters, who were also questioned as part of the probe, had passed on information about the movements of the suspect on the day the offence was committed.

Vijayawada city police have also been roped in to probe the case and they are on the lookout for the notorious Blade Batch members as the victims told the police the accused had fled towards Vijayawada in a country-boat.On the other hand, presence of police has been increased at the Pushkar Ghats and on the banks of the river Krishna in both Krishna and Guntur districts to keep an eye on anti-social elements.

Home Minister Mekathoti Sucharita and Women and Child Welfare Minister Taneti Vanitha visited the victim at the Guntur Government General Hospital Monday. They consoled the woman and assured that strict action will be taken against the accused. 

Sucharitha, announced Rs five lakh ex gratia from the government to the victim, and said the government is giving top priority for the safety of women and set up Disha police stations for the purpose. Taneti Vanitha also announced Rs 50,000 ex gratia from the Women Welfare Department. She instructed the GGH officials to provide psychiatric help to the victim for speedy recovery.