Minor Girl (12) is resident of Verampallem village, Thadepallygudum Mandal and (police station) in West Godavari Dist. The victim\\\'s father gave a complaint in the police station on Gudy Ravi. Gudy Rajarao, Gudy Venkatrao, Gudy subharao, accused persons on 26 September 2007 a minor girl was raped by four members. According to the incident, a 12 year minor girl was raped by four members. The accused were married people, who belonged to the same village, They have taken the victim to the sugar cane field, and raped her four days, and the father of the victim has given the compliant the accused Gudde Ravi, Gudde Raja Rao, Gudde Venkat Rao, Gudde Subha Rao by occupation coolie, these people raped the minor girl from September 26 to September 29. Hostage her and raped her. On 29 September 2007 and left the girl to her aunty residence which is located in Bandapuram Mandal of Devarapalli village. On 1^st October 2007 aunt of the victim has taken her to the victim’s residence and left her there. By that time the victim aunty revealed the story of the atrocity with the victim’s father. Immediately the victim Father lodged a complaint to the rural police station.

Sakshi made fact finding and representation sent consent commissions and Government authorities for getting justice to victim’s family.

Case in Brief

Sarella Jayakumari D/o Satyananrayana is SC Mala by caste.  She studied till 10th Class and discontinued her studies.  Her mother went to Gulf and as she was alone at home, her grandmother started staying with her.  Kadali Anjaneyaswamy, S/o  Kadali Venkatarao, BC Shettibalija by caste was also residing beside her Family.  Anjaneyaswamy developed a close relation with her with the help of his sister.  Whenever Jayakumari’s family members were out of the house he used to enter into her house and developed acquaintance with her.  

He proposed that he is in love with her.  As they belong to different castes, she rejected the proposal.  But he did not give up.  As time passed on, she started believing in him.   They got closer to each other by speaking on phone, while her father was away from home.  This closeness gradually led to physical intimacy between them.  Jayakumari asked him that they should get married.  She was also afraid that they would not get married due to the caste differences.  He assured her that he will marry her.  Since then, whenever her father was not at home, she used to call over phone and invite him.  However, their love and physical relation was not known to their parents.

On 03-10-2007, at 12:00 in the night, while they were talking to each other on the terrace, her father happened to notice them.  On seeing her father, Anjaneyaswamy ran away.  In that hurry, he dropped the condoms on the terrace.  Her father followed him and went to his house.  But, Anjaneyaswamy did not enter his home and ran in a different way.  Her father woke up his parents and narrated the incident to them.  As it was late night, his parents said that they could talk next day in the morning.    

Next day, ie., on 04.10.2007, the incident was informed to the village elders, viz., Yaalangi Swamy, Koonuri Shivaraju, Pithani Sathyanarayana, Medhabala Satyanarayana.  They called in both the parties in the village panchayat.  There, Anjaneyaswamy said that he was never in love with her and he never promised to marry her.  He said that he casually moved with her and they never had any physical relation.  Jayakumari’s requests asking him not to cheat her went in vain.  

Jayakumari lodged a complaint against him in the Razole PS on the same day, i.e., on 04.10.2007.  After this incident, his parents moved him away from the village.  She sat down for hunger strike in front of the police station seeking for justice.  

Kommu Lalithamma is r/o Parigi village under Parigi P.S. in Ranga Redddy Dist. The victim Lalithamma and her sister Laxamma possessed four acres of assigned land in their name in Parigi village. The Revenue department issued pass book and documents in the year 1989 itself. They were tilling the land even prior to that and living on the produce. But 2006 one Kukul Venkatesham of the village along with Revenue officials created false documents showing that the victim has sold the land Kukul Venkatesham. In 2007, they removed the victim’s name from revenue records and shown the land for housing plot.

On 02-10-2007, the accused destroyed the dal crop of victim and laid down stones and threatened the victim with dire consequence.

The victim complained to the District Collector about the matter and later lodged complaint in the police station on 02-10-2007. The case was registered as Cr. No. 144/07, u/s 323 of IPC and 3 (1)(x) of SC/ST (PoA) Act. The accused were arrested. Compensation not paid. Charge sheet is not filed.

Case in Brief

Godata Lakshmi, SC Madiga by caste is resident of Divili village and was working in brick kiln as labourer.  Her husband Rambabu is a rickshaw puller and is sending their children to school with great difficulty.  She actively participates in the development programs of the village and is an active member of DWACRA group in the village.  

In the year 2006, Sarpanch seat was reserved for SC woman in Divili.  Naralasetti Surya Rao, land lord belonging to Kapu community in the village, asked her to contest in the elections and assured her that Congress Party would support her.  She refused in the beginning, but Surya Rao said that she would get a salary of Rs.1,000/- as sarpanch and he would look after all the works. Ultimately she contested and won in the elections.  During the election campaign, Prasada Rao, her younger brother’s autos were seized and she requested Surya Rao to help out her brother and he said that he would look into that matter after elections.  

After being elected as Sarpanch, she was never allowed to sit on her seat nor even discharge her duties.  It was Surya Rao who is looking into all the matters and her duty was only to sign where ever he asked her to do so.  She tried to assert her position but he never cared for her.  When she reminded him of her brother’s autos seized by the police, he did not respond. One day, Prasada Rao came to the Panchayat office and pleaded Surya Rao to help him.  Surya Rao refused and abused him in the name of caste by using filthy language and asked him to get out.  He said, “Madiga lanjakodaka, bayataku nadu” (You son of a Madiga bitch, get out).  When he tried to resist, they levied false allegation that he beat Prasad clerk in Panchayat office and lodged a complaint on him in the police station. 

Once when audit was going on, she was asked for explanation on the expenditure incurred for Rs 12 lakhs.  She said that she does not know the details of the expenditure as she signed where ever Surya Rao asked her to.  Later, unable to bear the harassment from Surya Rao, she shifted to Telugu Desam Party.  Even then she was not allowed to carry on her duties as sarpanch.  The local MLA was in support of the Kapu community in the village.    

On 28th September 2007, at around 09:00 am, while she was on the way from her residence to bank to exchange the cheques of panchayat, she was attacked by men of Kapu community.  Naralasetti Surya Rao alias Bobji Rao, Tummalapalli Anjaneyulu, Chenduluri Chella Rao and others fell on her, caught hold of her hair and beat her up. They forced her to hand over the cheques to them but she refused.  They pulled off her saree and tore her blouse.  They also brought her son Shiva Vara Prasad, aged 14 years, pushed him down and beat him up.  They threatened her that they would make her parade in the village nakedly if she does not give them the cheques.  They brutally beat her and her son abusing in the name of caste.  They said “Madiga lanja neekenduke ivanni” (You Madiga bitch why do you need all these).  She somehow managed to escape from them and reached her home.  At 02:30 pm, they attacked Prasada Rao and beat him on his head, thus caused major bleeding injury.  

She complained in the police station on the same day, but they refused to register a case.  As there was threat from the accused, on 1st October 2007, Lakshmi again went to police station with the help of her caste elders Vijay Kumar, Mohan Rao, Shesha Rao and Valluri Satyavathi and once again lodged a complaint against the accused.  The police did not register the case in the beginning, but with the interference of the local dalit leaders, they registered the case.  But the accused are not arrested till date due to the pressure from the local MLA.  

DSS Intervention:

• Conducted fact finding and discussed with the police on findings. 
• Extended support from the local dalit leaders. 
• As the police failed to respond, DSS represented to the State Human Rights Commission, State Women’s Commission, State SC/ST Commission, IG, Women Cell through the Round Table Conference held on 27th November 2007.