VIZIANAGARAM: A 35-year-old man, who posed as a policeman, threatened two minor girls and raped them at a village in Vizianagaram district.
Though the incident took place on Saturday, it came to light on Sunday after the victims along with their teachers and warden approached the Kurupam police station in the district on Saturday night.
The accused V Rambabu has been arrested.
The repeated offender was involved in at least 14 cases in the past.
According to police, the two girls (both intermediate first-year students at a government residential college) along with their male friends had gone to Ravada village under Jiyyammavalasa Mandal in Vizianagaram district to spend some good time near a water body on the New Year's Day.
Noticing the girls and boys at the place, Rambabu came to the spot on his bike, posed as policeman, clicked the photos of the boys and girls and threatened to send the photos to their parents and teachers and to upload them on the social media platforms.
Later, he asked the boys to leave the place and took the girls to an oil palm orchard, where he raped them.
He also threatened the girls with dire consequences citing that he would upload the heinous incident on social media platforms if they revealed it to anyone.
Upon reaching the hostel, the victims narrated the entire episode to their warden on the same night.
Vizianagaram police chief Deepika M Patil said," Based on the complaint from the victims, we have registered a case against the accused under Sections 376 and 506 of IPC and relevant sections of POCSO Act. We formed a team and nabbed the accused."
"We will file the chargesheet in the case within a week", she added.
The victims were sent to government hospital for medical tests.
Expressing that the incident on the New Year's Day was unfortunate, Deputy chief minister Pamula Pushpa Srivani said that the accused was a repeated offender and a rowdy-sheet was opened against him. The government has been taking steps to punish the people involved in crime against women and children, she added.
(The victims' identity has not been revealed to protect their privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
