Trigger warning: Sexual violence
The Telangana police have arrested three men in connection with the rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl in Nalgonda district. The girl, who was a Class 10 student, was allegedly raped and killed near the Angadipeta crossroads in Pedda Adiserla Pally mandal of Devarakonda division on Tuesday, January 17. The three men – Dileep (19), Naresh (24) and Shiva (20) – were arrested by the Gudipally police a day later, based on a complaint filed by the girl’s father.
According to a press release issued by the Gudipally police, the accused are all residents of Vaddderigudem hamlet of Tirumalagiri village in PA Pally mandal. Dileep, a student, had become acquainted with the girl, a resident of Karmanghat in Hyderabad. After visiting her grandmother in Vadderigudem for the Sankranthi festival, the girl had planned to return to Hyderabad on January 17, according to the police.
On January 17 morning, the girl reached Angadipeta in Naresh’s car. The police said she wanted to board a bus to Karmanghat and has asked the accused to drop her near the Angadipeta crossroads. Dileep then took her to a nearby clothing store called ‘Rowdy Boys’ which is owned by Naresh, and allegedly raped her. The girl then started bleeding excessively and fainted, according to the police. The accused took her to the Devarakonda government hospital in their car, but she passed away around 1 pm.
After the girl’s father lodged a complaint with the Gudipally police on the same day, the Devarakonda Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) took up investigation and the three accused were apprehended a day later on January 18. They were produced in court and sent to judicial remand, police said. The accused were booked under various sections of Indian Penal Code for rape and murder as well as relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.