Managing Directors of Old Age Home held for raping Minor

HYDERABAD: G Manik Rao and A Srinivas Reddy, managing directors of Akshaya old-age home in LB Nagar, have been arrested for raping a minor for six months.

Both were arrested 10 days after they fled from the home, where the 15-year-old victim used to work. Police is looking for Venugopal, the third accused in the case as reported in Times OF India

The victim, a resident of Ratnampet, Rajamundry, shifted to the city in 2009 for work.

As per the investigations the victim was living with her maternal uncle and was working in the home for the last two years. She had lodged a complaint on February 6, saying the managing directors were sexually assaulting her in turns, since June last year.
“The victim claimed that she was abused since May 2016. She has been working at the home for the past one year,”‘ LB Nagar inspector P Kasi Reddy said.

Reddy said the three were booked under section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. It is learnt that she was abused in a private room at the home by the trio. The girl was earlier sent for medical examination and has now been shifted to a rescue home.

The rape case also underscores increasing instances of sexual assault on minors recently, which officials say is just the tip of the iceberg.

Alarmed at rising number of rapes involving minors, the Rachakonda police said its forming a specialized “She Team” and a new counseling centre. The cops have so far recorded 32 cases of rape involving minors since June 2016.

“As of now the Rachakonda commissionerate does not have a Bharosa Centre, but we have been informed that we will be granted one very soon,” Rachakonda commissioner, Mahesh M Bhagwat said.

He also announced the launch of “She Teams” for the newly-formed commissionerate, which would assist in protecting rights of women and girls. Bhagwat opened two counselling centres, which would work with help from Bhumika and Ankuram at women’s police stations in Saroornagar and Kushaiguda.