VIJAYAWADA: A 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her stepfather for the last six months at Venkatagiri town in Nellore district. The incident came to light on a Sunday after the victim’s 10-year-old brother witnessed the incident and screamed for help.
According to Venkatagiri police, the accused was separated from his first wife and later married another woman who already had two children – a son and a daughter. Cops said that the incident has been recurring for the past six months and the girl’s mother was reluctant to trust the word of her own daughter.
The incident came to light on Sunday when the accused was trying to rape his stepdaughter when the victim’s brother walked-in on them and cried for help. Locals rushed to the spot and realised what was happening but by then, the accused had managed to flee.
With the mother reluctant to approach the police, a formal complaint was lodged only after a local women’s association leader informed the police and Integrated Child Development Services officials.
A case was booked under relevant sections under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. Deputy superintendent of police Gudur Rajagopal Reddy visited the victim’s residence on Tuesday night and inquired about the incident.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
