Telangana: 18-year-old gang-raped in Peddapalli

Though the incident took place on January 24, it came to light only on Monday when a complaint was lodged with the State Women's Commission.

Peddapalli: The alleged gang-rape of an 18-year-old Odisha girl, working in a brick kiln unit near Goudeddipet in Peddapalli mandal, has created a flutter in Peddapalli district. Though the incident occurred on January 24, it came to light only on Monday when a complaint was lodged with the State Women’s Commission by middlemen who arranged for her employment at the unit.

According to district officials, Bhaskar, who runs the unit, brought 20 labourers from Polmanda Rengedi in Balangir district of Odisha last month with the help of Dhara and Kailash, the mediators.

Among the 20 is the 18-year-old girl and her husband. On January 24, she was reportedly raped by five persons, including the owner of the unit. Upset over the incident, the couple tried to escape the same day. The workers, however, found them near the Ramagundam railway station and brought them back.

On Monday, the girl informed the middlemen in Odisha about the gang-rape who, in turn, lodged a complaint with Telangana State Women’s Commission over the phone.

Responding to the complaint, the commission instructed the district administration to probe the matter. Women and Child Welfare Officer Suguna, along with police, visited the unit on Monday night but couldn’t find the couple. They were informed by the owner and other workers that the couple had left the unit.

Sakhi centre administrator Swapna, along with police, again visited the unit on Tuesday when some workers complained that they were being forcibly detained in the unit by the owner. Subsequently, the workers were brought to the District Collectorate and produced before Collector S Sangeetha, who instructed RDO Shankar to provide shelter to the workers till the investigation was completed.

The workers informed the RDO that a girl informed them that she was raped by the unit owner and four others 10 days ago. The male workers were lodged in a function hall and the women at the Sakhi centre.

Peddapalli SI Rajesh said a missing case was registered based on the complaint filed by the relatives of the missing couple.

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