Asifabad: Rights groups raise alarm over attacks on tribal women in Asifabad

Tribal rights organisations have raised concern over repeated incidents of sexual assault and murder of tribal women in Kumram Bheem Asifabad, alleging underreporting and police negligence, and calling for stronger action and protective measures to prevent such crimes.

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Adivasi or tribal rights organisations have expressed concern over incidents of sexual assaults and murders of tribal women by socially and economically strong communities in the district at regular intervals.

The tribal rights organisations alleged that tribal women were subjected to sexual assaults and murders by men from upper castes, but the incidents went unreported. “At least four such instances were witnessed in the district in recent times, reflecting the gravity of the menace and triggering a sense of panic among tribal communities,” Korthe Tirupathi, a leader from Adivasi Koya Sankshema Sangham, said.

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In the latest incident, Athram Sammakka (25), a pregnant woman, was allegedly bludgeoned to death by one Kelkari Jalapathi, a married man with whom she was in a close relationship, for asking him to marry her in the forests of Kondapalli village on Saturday. The incident came to light on Monday. Despite being married, Jalapathi continued to sexually exploit the woman for four years under the guise of love.

Earlier, a pregnant tribal woman Thalandi Rani alias Shravani (21) was hacked to death by her father-in-law for marrying his son against his wish at Gerre village in Dahegaon mandal on October 18. She was carrying a nine-month pregnancy at the time of the incident and was expecting to deliver within a week or two.

The tribal leaders said that similar incidents of sexual assaults against two tribal women took place in Kukuda village in Bejjur mandal and Erragunta village of Penchikalpet mandal, but they were not reported due to various reasons a few months earlier. They said family members did not come forward to lodge complaints against the perpetrators, fearing court cases and harassment by elders of upper castes in their villages.

In 2024, an auto-rickshaw driver, Muqdum from Sonupatel village, was arrested for allegedly attempting to murder a 45-year-old tribal woman from Devuguda after trying to rape her at Raghavapur village in Jainoor mandal when she hired the three-wheeler to visit her parents at Soyamguda in Jainoor mandal. The incident triggered communal clashes, with aboriginal tribals torching commercial establishments of a section and houses of civilians in protest.

The rights organisations alleged that certain police showed negligence in investigating the cases either by accepting bribes from the accused or due to pressure exerted by public representatives. They observed that creation of an inter-caste marriages protection board could bring down such assaults, besides taking stern action against accused persons and ensuring punishment for their acts.