Tribal Woman Assaulted For A Week, Chilli Powder Rubbed In Eyes, Body; Telangana Deputy CM Assures Support

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Monday visited a Chenchu tribal woman who had allegedly been assaulted for a week by four individuals in Nagarkurnool district.

The 27-year-old woman is currently undergoing treatment at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad.

During the meeting, Vikramarka assured that the state government would cover all expenses for her treatment until she recovers.

Vikramarka also stated that the government would offer her a house under the Indiramma housing scheme if she does not already own one. Additionally, he promised education for her children in a state-run social welfare school and land for cultivation.

The woman, initially treated at a state-run hospital in Nagarkurnool, was transferred to NIMS for advanced medical care.

According to the police, four individuals were arrested on Friday for allegedly torturing the tribal woman after she failed to report for work on an agricultural land.

The assault took place in Molachintalapally village, where the accused, including her sister and brother-in-law, reportedly attacked her. She was rescued after some villagers took up the matter with the police on June 19.

‘Beaten with sticks, subjected to torture’

In her statement, the woman detailed how she was beaten with sticks and subjected to torture for missing work on land owned by one of the accused, a senior police official disclosed.

Authorities also noted a familial dispute between the victim and her sister.

Allegedly, the accused inflicted burns on her private parts and thighs, as well as applied chili powder to her eyes and body.

According to an NDTV report, the dispute arose over money the woman had borrowed from one of the accused. In exchange, she was expected to work on his farm. However, she left after a few days following an argument with her sister.

The four accused have been remanded to judicial custody.

A case has been registered based on the complaint, invoking charges of sexual assault, attempted murder, relevant IPC sections, and under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, police confirmed.