Police \'responding quickly\' in crimes against women in Kadapa

Kadapa: Kadapa district police say they are responding quickly to allegations of harassment against women. In the brutal murder of a second-year degree student in Badvel last June, police have filed a preliminary charge sheet and are looking for an FSL report to enable them to file a final charge sheet, they said.

Police said that in this case, the accused was sent to jail on remand. A total of 36 cases have been registered this year under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act in Kadapa district, while preliminary charge sheets have been filed in all the cases. 

Police are looking for an FSL report only in cases that require additional evidence. FSL reports are also required to file charge sheets in cases of attempt to tape and murder and in Murder cases.

On June 16, 2021, a young woman from Rayachoti was set on fire allegedly by her parents as she told them she would get married to her lover. She died at the hospital.

On June 16, 2021, a young woman committed suicide after her parents refused her request to allow her marry her lover. The parents secretly completed the young woman's funeral.

On April 5, 2021, an employee attempted to rape a woman who had gone for treatment at the Government General Hospital in Kadapa. Police have registered a case against him.

Women and girls in the district lack protection. They are under attack. Many women and girls commit suicide without being able to speak out about sexual and other forms of harassment. Young women fall in love with men they get to know through social media platforms and are then harassed.

Dr Venkataramudu, assistant professor in the department of Psychiatry at Kadapa Government General Hospital told Deccan Chronicle that it is natural for youths to fall in love. Parents come in the way of their marriage plans and this leads to severe depression and ends up as suicides. He suggested that parents should also be aware of the changes in their children's normal behaviour and take corrective steps at an early stage itself.

District women and child welfare project director Akalamkam Padmaja said, “We are explaining to girls to detect good touch and bad touch. It will help the adolescent-age girls to know what is good and bad.”

DSP Anburajan told Deccan Chronicle that those who commit crimes against women should not be allowed to escape. “There is a DISHA SOS application for the protection of women, especially in high schools and colleges, where the app is being installed on the mobiles of all students. If women shared information through this mobile app, they would receive police assistance within ten minutes.”

He explained there has been a good response to this app from young women as well. “If they have any problem, one phone call will solve it. Women and girls in trouble are advised to Dial 100 or 9440796900 and we will provide protection.”