Stripping incident: Governor Tamilisai directs CS, DGP to act

Hyderabad: Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan took serious note of the shameful incident in which a woman was stripped and beaten by a person who was drunk recently in the city on August 6. The accused (in his 30s), a labourer, was arrested by the police. The Governor directed the state Chief Secretary and DGP to act against the culprits immediately. Raj Bhavan authorities said, “the Governor was distressed over the incident”. Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari and DGP Anajani Kumar have been asked to take action and submit a report on the incident. She also expressed serious concern over the safety of women in the city.

Telangana State Commission for Women also took serious note of the incident and assured that it would work to ensure that the accused gets severe punishment. Commission's Chairperson V Sunitha Laxma Reddy said the panel would stand by the victim. One of the Commission members along with an investigation officer met the victim at her residence. The chairperson spoke to the victim over phone and expressed anguish over the incident and assured her that the women's commission and the state government would stand by her. Sunitha asked the 'Sakhi - One Stop Centres' to help women in distress by providing necessary medical help to the victim.

The chairperson asserted that the Commission would make all efforts to ensure that the accused gets severe punishment.

She expressed anguish that the mother of the accused, who was present at the spot, did not try to stop her son. She also expressed surprise that those present at the scene also did not come to help and remained mute spectators.

The woman, a private sector employee, told the police that when she was on her way home and was crossing a road, the accused, who was in an inebriated condition, touched her “inappropriately” after which she slapped him but the man assaulted her.

In the meanwhile, the mother of the accused also argued with her for slapping her son instead of questioning him for touching her, the complainant said.