Nellore: Tourism official thrashes female colleague, held

Nellore: Deputy manager of the AP Tourism hotel located in Dargamitta in the city was arrested on Tuesday after the CCTV footage of his brutal attack on a physically-challenged woman employee went viral and drew strong condemnation from across the country.

The deputy manager, C Bhaskar, attacked the contract employee Ch Usha Rani with an arm of a wooden chair for allegedly asking him to wear mask in view of raging Covid-19 pandemic. Though the incident occurred on Saturday, June 27, it came to light on Tuesday when the victim lodged a complaint with police.

After the video came out, the tourism department suspended Bhaskar from duties. AP Tourism Development Corporation managing director Pravin Kumar suspended Bhaskar Rao following the directions from tourism minister Muttamsetty Srinivasa Rao for an immediate action.

Dargamitta police said Bhaskar has been booked under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour person) and 324 (Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) of IPC.

According to police, Bhaskar Rao insulted Usha Rani in the presence of other staff members using filthy language and thrashed her with a broken arm of a chair in the office at around 11.25 am on June 27.

The footage of the incident went viral on the social media and triggered public outrage. In the clip, the accused is seen pulling the woman staffer by her hair, dragging her and repeatedly attacking her with a chair handle even as other employees in the office tried to intervene.

Another employee tries to control him but he pushes him to the ground. He then picks up the chair handle that gets detached in the melee and repeatedly attacks her as other employees watch in horror.

Another woman present in the office can be seen rushing out without coming to the rescue of the victim. A man who walks in finally snatches the object from Bhaskar's hands.

Police said Bhaskar got angry and felt insulted after the woman colleague advised him to wear the face mask to contain the spread of coronavirus.

DGP D Gautam Sawang praised the Nellore police for taking quick action. "Crime against women is unacceptable. We condemn the Nellore incident and action has been taken against the accused for manhandling the lady official," the police chief said.

The DGP said Disha police station would be taking up further investigation in the case and directed it to ensure that the probe is completed within a week and a charge sheet filed.

AP Women's Commission chairperson Vasireddy Padma who addressed the media in Nellore on Tuesday said they had viewed the incident as a serious lapse on the part of the officials and directed the police to register the cases under Disha Act.

She said police were asked to see that the accused was punished within 21 days. She warned that they wouldn't tolerate such offenses against women.