Demand for stringent punishment for rapists

Basheerbagh: Parents of the three Hajipur rape-murder victims and representatives of several social organisations on Thursday demanded stringent action against the accused, after holding a meeting in the Press Club here.

The Telangana Legal Services Authority and Oyster, an NGO, jointly organised the meeting. Zoya Mahaveen of the Legal Services Authority and an advocate wanted the State government to frame new legislations to check the rising cases of rapes of minors. She demanded a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge and the accused Srinivas Reddy be given death penalty.

The representatives cited the recent rape-murder of a six-year-old girl of Turkapalli on March 21 by a youth belonging to Bihar and also those of three Hajipur cases which created a sensation across the State.

The family members of the three minor girls wanted accused Reddy to be severely punished. The representatives assured the family members that they would strive to secure assistance under the Nirbhaya Fund.

Among those present at the meeting were Chandram (father of the victim Pravalika), Narsimha (parent of Shravani), Nandan (father of Kalpana), Mallesh (parent of Manisha), Prabhakar, a resident of Hajipur village.