SC PANEL CHIEF MEETS NEREDMET ATTACK VICTIMS

National SC Commission vice chairman Arun Haldar has expressed his anguish over alleged attacks on SC women by MLA Mainampalli Hanumanta Rao and his associates, which took place in Neredmet on Independence day. The commission expressed its surprise that the police “tried to rescue the accused and filed a case against the victims.”

Haldar, representing the SC Commission, arrived in Hyderabad on Wednesday and went to Ramdev Rao Hospital in Kukatpally to meet the victims under treatment there, elicit details of the incident and enquire about health conditions.

The victims explained to him that the MLA and his associates attacked them and abused them and called them out by their caste names. The assailants also tore the women’s jackets and clothes. The SC Commission went on to examine the medical reports and X-rays of the victims and later advised doctors to take full care of these patients.

After the visit, the commission held a review meeting at DilKusha Guest House that was attended by senior officials including the Medchal Malkajgiri collector and the police commissioner of Rachakonda.

The commission questioned the police officers as to how they could detain the SC women at the police station until 2am and why no FIR was filed based on the women’s complaint. It pointed out that though the incident happened on August 15, the police registered the case two days later, on the 17th. This showed police negligence, it said.