Tirupati: Protests against rape incident rock pilgrim city

Tirupati: Protests erupted in the city after a 20-year-old woman was raped by pastor Devasahayam and the police failure to initiate action on the pastor.

Vishwa Hindu Parishat and RSS followers staged a Rasta Roko at Town Club Junction obstructing the vehicular traffic and criticised the police for neglecting the victim and failure to arrest the accused pastor Devasahayam.

They alleged that as the victim belonged to a Hindu religion, that's why the police are delaying in acting against the pastor. Later police forcefully dispersed the agitators from the town club junction and cleared the traffic.

CPM, AIDWA, DYFI and SFI activists staged dharna at Disha Police station against the police negligence in acting against rape case. The aggrieved protesters charged that SI Himabindu behaved most insensitive and scolded the victim when she approached them to lodge a complaint at Disha police station. East DSP Murali Krishan reached the spot and assured the activists that Urban SP Ramesh Reddy would ready to hold talks with them.

From there the protesters went as rally to SP office and submitted a memorandum to SP Ramesh Reddy seeking stringent action against the accused pastor Devasahayam. Responding to their memorandum, the SP assured that he would take action against SI Himabindu.

Later, in the evening, the urban police arrested the accused Devasahayam at bus stand and produced him before the media. The SP gave Rs 25,000 from his personal account as part of helping the rape victim.