Hyderabad: State rescue home chief punished

Hyderabad: Responding to an attack on a speech-impaired victim at the state rescue home, the women and child development department on Tuesday issued orders suspending superintendent Nirmala.

The department appointed project director P. Ashritha as incharge superintendent. Sources said that the 14-year-old gangraped victim was brought to the home from Medak two years ago. Due to the complications and her health condition, she was not able to complete the work allotted to her, and had to depend on others, officials said.

Because of this, another inmate in the home used to beat the victim. Four days ago, she brutally attacked the 14-year-old. Soon after the incident, a few inmates complained to officials that the other inmate had attacked the gangrape victim under the direction of Ms Nirmala.

Home officials had earlier stated that the 14-year-old victim was unable to communicate properly, and that she had wanted to go home. They had blamed her for creating a ruckus. It was reported that the victim had been beaten up by the staff. Based on the CCTV footage, officials had suspended Ms. Nirmala, the order said.