Five, including three minors, arrested in gang-rape of two women in Andhra Pradesh

The arrests were made within 48 hours of receiving a complaint, says Superintendent of Police

The Sri Sathya Sai district police have arrested five persons, including three minors, for their alleged involvement in the gang-rape of a woman and her daughter-in-law.

The arrests were made within 48 hours of receiving the complaint, Superintendent of Police V. Ratna told media on October 15 (Tuesday), adding that another accused, 20-year-old Chakali Srinivasulu, alias Srinath, was still at large.

The accused were allegedly involved in nearly 20 offences of sexual assault on women after snatching their belongings, but no case was registered as the victims did not came forward to lodge a complaint, the police said.

Referring to the arrests made in the gang-rape that was allegedly committed in the early hours of October 12, Ms. Ratna said the accused had barged into the house of the victims, who were working as security guards at an under-construction paper mill located two km from Chilamattur.

The accused had damaged the CCTV cameras, snatched away ₹5,000 cash, attacked the male members, and sexually assaulted the two women, the SP said.

After receiving a complaint, the CLUES team, dog squads, and mobile phone analysis teams rushed to the spot, Ms. Ratna said. The police, after analysing the data of the CCTV cameras and the information gathered from the victims, could identify the main accused by noon on October 12.

The police went through the call data details and gathered information about the associates of the main accused within 12 hours. Later, search parties were constituted to nab the accused.

The main accused was 38-year-old Erikela Kavadi Nagendra, alias Naga alias Robo, of Hindupur against whom 37 cases were already registered.

Ms. Ratna said Nagendra had started committing crimes from the age of 14 with the help of his uncle Durga. Later, he formed his own group. His 20-year-old nephew Sake Praveen Kumar, alias Kala, of Lepakshi was also a part of the group.

The three accused minors had lost their fathers and were being raised by their mothers, who work at a tiles company owned by a friend of Nagendra, who, during his visits to the company, befriended them and used them for breaking the CCTV cameras, the SP said.

Nagendra was an accused in 37 property offences in various parts, including Ongole and Chittoor. There were at least 20 cases in which the accused took advantage of the presence of women in lonely areas, and robbed them of their belongings and sexually assaulted them, Ms. Ratna said, adding the victims did not come forward to lodge a complaint.

Published - October 16, 2024 08:23 am IST