Angry locals in Andhra's Dachepalli demanded that the rapist be hanged or shot dead in public
The rape of a nine-year-old child allegedly by a 60-year-old man in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday triggered massive protests in a village in Guntur district. Locals, angry that the rapist has not been arrested, protested on the state highway, blocking traffic for nearly six hours.
The
highway in Dachepalli village was blocked till 4 am on Thursday morning as the villagers protested through the night, causing an 18-km-long traffic jam. The protesters demanded that the accused be arrested immediately. Some shouted, demanding that he be hanged or shot dead in public. Police had a tough time controlling the protesters, who vented their anger by damaging a few buses. A goods train passing through the area was also stopped by angry locals.
Subbaiah, a rickshaw puller who is a neighbor of the child, allegedly lured the 9-year-old with chocolates and toffees and raped her. Police said he dropped her back home after threatening her that she would be killed if she told anyone.
The child's mother noticed that she was bleeding when she complained of severe pain. The mother took her to a hospital where doctors confirmed sexual assault. What triggered the protests was when locals noticed the condition of the child in the hospital. The girl who was bleeding fainted in the hospital and received stitches.
On Thursday, an official shutdown was called. Shopkeepers downed shutters and came on to the streets too. Special police forces were deployed but that did not stop angry youngsters from trying to bring down the roof of the home of the accused. His was beaten up by the crowd and had to be rescued by the police.
The rape survivor is undergoing treatment in a government hospital in Guntur.
"Everyone is disturbed and upset. So there were people from all communities demanding justice for the child,'' said Guntur collector Kona Shashidhar to NDTV.