Woman gang-raped at Guntur's Repalle railway station; husband brutally attacked

Gunturu: A 25-year-old woman was allegedly gang-raped by three miscreants at the Repalle railway station in the Guntur district on Saturday night. This is the fourth incident of crimes against women in the last week.

According to the Repalle police, a couple from the Prakasam district along with their three children got off the train at Repalle station. They were unable to find a bus at night and decided to sleep at the station and take a bus in the morning. While the family was asleep, three people dragged the sleeping woman to the end of the platform and raped her. When her husband tried to stop them, he was brutally attacked.

The injured husband approached the railway police but they did not open the doors even after his repeated knocks. He then went to the Repalle town police and lodged a complaint. The Bapatla police chief, Vakul Jindal, visited the spot and personally monitored the investigation. Meanwhile, the woman is being treated at Repalle government hospital has recovered and has been shifted to Ongole government hospital for better medical supervision.

Accused caught within hours

The Bapatla police arrested two persons – Nikhil and Vinay – and a minor within hours of the incident. Bapatla superintendent of police Vakul Jindal said dog squad and CCTV footage helped them trace the accused. The incident took place at 1 a.m and the police had tracked down the accused by 7 a.m. "They had left their chappals at the crime scene. The dog squad led us to the place where one accused had left the shirt he wore during the crime," said the SP. Among the three, one has a history of theft cases.

The police booked cases under sections 376D (gang rape), 394 (robbery), and 307 (attempt to murder).

Opposition leaders criticise Jagan's govt

The Opposition leaders meanwhile criticised the Jagan government and alleged that women in the state are not safe. TDP leaders and activists launched a protest following the incident. TDP Repalle MLA Anagani Satya Prasad along with party workers staged a dharna at the railway station demanding justice for the victim. TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh said rapists are on the prowl in Andhra Pradesh as the state government has failed to take measures for women's safety