In yet another shocking incident in Khammam district of Telangana, a minor Dalit girl was burnt by the same community man after he tried to rape her and she resisted, according to officials on Tuesday. The accused was taken into custody on Tuesday more than two weeks after the incident took place.
The incident took place on September 18 but it came to light recently. On Monday night, when the local police was informed, they took immediate action of shifting the 13-year-old to Hyderabad's Osmania Government General Hospital with 70 per cent burns.
The 13-year-old minor girl hailing from Pallagudem, near Khammam town, was working as domestic help in the household of a 28-year-old married man named Maraiah who resides in Mustafa Nagar in Khammam town. Both belong to Budiga Jangam, a sub-caste in Dalit community.
On September 18, when the victim was doing some domestic work, the accused attempted rape but when the girl raised alarm, the accused poured petrol and set her on fire. At that time only Maraiah's father was at home who rushed to douse the fire but the girl suffered burns all over the body. Maraiah's wife is pregnant and has gone to her parents home for delivery.
Accused Maraiah took the girl to a private hospital in Khammam town where she was being treated since September 18. Though the girl suffered nearly 70 per cent burns, the private hospital did not think it as medico-legal case and did not report it to the police.
What happened from September 18 till October 5: It is still not clear why the minor girl's parents did not complain to police on September 18 itself or in next few days. According to some sources in the community, the accused tried to hush up the matter as "accidental fire'' by saying the victim caught fire as she was trying to light a diya and promised to take care of treatment in the private hospital and pleaded with them not to tell anyone.
However, after 17 days, the ghastly issue came out and as soon as the local police got the news, they swung into action and first the minor girl was immediately shifted to Hyderabad's Osmania Government General Hospital where her condition is serious.
"As soon as we got to know about this incident we shifted the minor girl to Hyderabad's Osmania Hospital, taken her statement, taken her parents' statement and booked a case against the accused under sections 376 r/w 511, 307, 354, 506 of IPC and section 10 of POSCO act. We have also nabbed the accused and will be producing him before the magistrate,'' Khammam Assistant Commissioner of Police, Anjaneyulu, told Zee Media.
The police is also awaiting a report from District Medical & Health Officer ( DHMO ) to book a case against the private hospital where the victim was being treated from September 18. "We have asked the DHMO to give a report on this hospital after inquiry and we are also consulting our legal team on how to proceed against this private hospital. Also, in the main case against the accused we are trying to add Child Labour Act sections,'' the ACP added.
