Authorities have initiated legal proceedings against a police constable and a home guard following grave allegations of sexual assault and harassment made by a 28-year-old married woman.
On Wednesday, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Palamaner) Degala Prabhakar confirmed to reporters that a case was filed at the Bangarupalem police station. The charges fall under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The accused officers were identified as Umashankar, a constable stationed at the Urban police station in Punganur, and Kiran, a home guard who previously served at the Palamaner police station.
The victim, from Gantavur village, recounted that three years prior, home guard Kiran obtained her mobile number under the guise of assisting her with a family dispute, as her husband had reportedly abandoned her and their children. She alleged that he subsequently began pressuring her for sexual favors.
Her complaint further detailed a harrowing incident on April 22. She stated that police constable Umashankar approached her near Mogili Devarakonda, a hilly area close to Bangarupalem, at a time when she was contemplating ending her life. Under the pretense of offering help, the constable allegedly drugged her and sexually assaulted her multiple times. The woman also claimed that he threatened to harm her and her children if she ever disclosed the incident.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Tushar Dudi has since ordered a comprehensive investigation into these serious allegations.