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In Dhoolkot village, there is a majority of dominant caste, thus their dominance. Dalits are hated and humiliated by Dominant caste villagers. Sunita w/o Omprakash Bunkar, resident of village Dhoolkot, PS Virat Nagar, is an Anganwadi worker. She daily goes to Angan Wadi office, Luhakana around 9 am. On the day of the incident, 6th September 2006, as per the routine, she was going to her office. Around 9:30 am, when she was passing by the millet field of Jai Singh Rajpoot, via a broken track, suddenly Magh Singh Rajput rushed out from that field, held her hand and dragged her inside that field in shade of the millet crops. Sunita shouted for help. Magh Singh beat her up to stop and clutched her mouth with a cloth. Sunita appealed him to let her go, but Magh Singh did not listen to her and brutally raped her beside her cries. Magh Singh beat Sunita at various parts of her body i.e. on her face and lips. He threatened her not to tell anyone about the incident otherwise he would kill her.
Somehow, Sunita released herself from Magh Singh and tried to run away from there. One person named Babu Lal was also in the farm and when Sunita was trying to escape, he mocked at her and moved towards her. Seeing him coming towards her, she changed her way and ran away to Luhakana. She went to her brother in law, Mool Chand’s home and told him about the whole incident. Her brother in law made a call to her husband and they all went to the place of incident with 15 -20 other villagers. Babu Lal Swami was hiding himself in the field that time. When he was interrogated about the incident, he denied. Then the villagers threatened him to speak out the truth otherwise he will be handed over to Police. Then he confessed that he knows the culprit by his face but does not know his name. From that site, her brother in law called police and informed about the incident. At around 11:15 am, police arrived at the place of incident and investigated the matter. Police when interrogated Babu Lal about the incident, he admitted that he knows culprit’s name is Magh Singh and he is much known to him.
Police registered the case under appropriate sections 376, 120 B of Indian penal Code read with sections 3(1)(xii) & 3 (2)(v) of SC/ST (PoA) Act 1989. Statement of the victim was recorded under section 164 of Cr.P.C. On the same day of FIR, Sunita was sent for medical examination which was conducted by the medical board. Police arrested the accused within six hours of committing the crime. Within eight days police completed the investigation and presented charge sheet (challan) no. 107/06 against the accused on 14/9/06. Accused was sentenced 7 years rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs. 5000/- .Perpetrator’s family tried to influence the victim to compromise in the case. They threatened her to kill if she will not withdraw the case.
Case in Brief:
Komarapu Subbalakshmi, aged 34 years, w/o Tetali Pratapa Reddy, r/o Tossipudi village, Nidadavolu mandal, East Godavari is presently working as teacher in Komaripalem Upper Primary School.
When she was in Degree, she was acquainted with Tetali Pratap Redddy, aged 35 years, s/o Kamaraja Reddy, r/o Tossipudi village, Nidadavolu mandal, East Godavari. He was already married. Subbalakshmi’s parents wanted to get her married to another person but Pratap did not let that happen. She got a government job and then they married in a temple in 1999. He did not divorce his first wife. They lived happily for 2-3 years. Coming to know that she won’t bear child by him, she opted for test tube baby. She took his permission and gave birth to a male test tube baby. She has been giving her salary to her husband from the beginning. Still he harassed her physically and mentally.
He started saying that by mistake he married a Mala girl, she gave birth to someone else’s child, she has extra-marital affairs with other teachers in the school, lower caste people have lower character and he used to abuse her in the name of caste and beat her in front of everyone. She bared all these harassments for 3 years. He used to say that she is giving her salary to her parents and brothers, when she went to her parents and wanted to register a case on him.
One day she tried to attempt suicide along with her son. Her younger brother stopped her and registered a case on him. After investigation, a case under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act was registered and sent him to remand.
He was in remand for 18 days and came back. He started harassing her to take her case back, continue their marital relation and give her salary. As she did not listen to him, he started coming to her school and her house and abuse her with filthy language and he is saying that she has extra-marital affairs with others.
Present Status of the Case:
She has applied to Public Prosecutor to cancel his bail.