Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam police have dismissed reports of certain media outlets and opposition parties regarding handling of a sexual assault involving a minor in Visakhapatnam.
In a press release, police clarified the circumstances surrounding the incident. They pointed out that they have arrested most of the accused. Efforts are on to ensure justice for the victim.
According to the police, a 16-year-old girl had come to Vizag from Odisha to work as a maid. On December 17, she went missing. Her father filed a complaint on December 18. Odisha police found her on December 23 and she was brought back to Visakhapatnam on December 25.
Initially she had remained silent about what had happened to her. On December 31, she disclosed that she had been sexually assaulted.
As per her narrative, she had gone with her friend Imran and his associate Shoaib on her birthday on December 17. She was forced to have sex with them at a lodge near R.K. Beach.
Subsequently, photographers Raju, Harish, Nagendra, and Gopi approached her at the beach pretending to provide her moral support. They then forcibly took her to an unknown lodge and subjected her to gang rape. Subsequently, other individuals Srinu, Ashok, Naresh, Thambe, Eswar, and Praveen joined in the assault until December 22.
When she complained of stomach pain, one of the assailants, Harish, promised to bring a doctor. Eventually, on December 22 around 7 p.m., Nagendra arranged tickets for the victim and Raju for Berhampur and put them on the train.
Raju dropped her near the Pani Kolli police station in Odisha on December 23 giving her Rs 200. She informed local police who provided her shelter and got in touch with her parents in Visakhapatnam.
The press release said all the accused involved, except two, have been arrested. They have identified the accused as Imran, Shoaib, Raju, Harish, Nagendra, Gopi, Srinu, Ashok, Naresh, Thambe, Eswar and Praveen.
