14YO girl names TDP leader Vinod Jain in suicide note, alleges sexual harassment

The Vijayawada city police on 30 January arrested TDP leader Vinod Jain in connection with the suicide of a 14-year-old girl and booked cases under the POCSO Act. The girl ended her life by jumping from the fifth floor of an apartment in Bhavanipuram, Vijayawada, on 29 January. In her suicide note, she had alleged that she was abused by Vinod Jain.

According to the police, the TDP leader and the victim, a class IX student, lived in the same locality under the Bhavanipuram police station limits. Jain had contested as a 37th division TDP corporator in the recent corporation elections.

In the three-page suicide note, written in her notebook, addressed to her parents, the girl wrote, "I did not tell you in the first place because I am so scared and ashamed of this thing. If it was any other problem in my life, I would not try to kill myself but this matter is the one I couldn't handle." She said Vinod Jain was behind her death. The girl said Vinod Jain had been sexually harassing her for the past two months. In her note, the girl asked the government and the police to give her justice at least after her death.

CCTV footage revealed that the girl had wandered on the terrace for about 20 minutes before ending her life.

Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy has asked the police to take immediate action against the accused. He has assured justice for the girl's family to ensure such incidents don't happen again.

Responding to the incident, Nagari YSRCP MLA R.K Roja urged everyone to hold rallies and dharna to raise awareness about preventing such incidents against girl children. In a video she posted on social media, Ms. Roja asked the government to take immediate action against the accused and punish him.