Union Minister Bandi Sanjay slams Telangana govt over rape attempt on tribal woman

Hyderabad: Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Thursday compared the alleged attempt to rape and murder a tribal woman in Telangana to the alleged rape and murder of a doctor in a hospital in Kolkata and said the incident is not getting adequate response from the state government as the victim is alive.

The state government is supposed to respond to such incidents with seriousness but they haven't done so, Kumar said, adding that measures should be taken to prevent such incidents.

"Kolkata incident or Nirbhaya incident or this incident, same. She is alive, that's why nobody is speaking," the Union MoS (Home) said after he inquired about the victim's health with the doctors of the state-run Gandhi Hospital, where the 45-year-old woman is undergoing treatment.

Citing past incidents in Telangana, including the Jubilee Hills gangrape case, Kumar alleged that AIMIM "goondas" are involved in crimes against women.

Either the previous BRS government or the present Congress regime looks at such crimes against women from a communal angle and supports "them", he alleged.

Hitting out at the AIMIM president, Kumar said Asaduddin Owaisi is not talking about the alleged attempt to rape and murder the woman but favoured action against those who attacked shops at Jainoor in Kumuram Bheem Asifabad district.

"Hindu shops were attacked. Why are you not talking about it," Kumar questioned.

Why Owaisi did not speak on the alleged incidents of rape in the past in which AIMIM leaders were allegedly involved, he added.

Owaisi is more interested in the safety of the properties of "his people" than in the safety of human life, Kumar alleged.

The Union minister said police officials should function impartially and not yield to pressures from government and the rulers otherwise untoward incidents would continue to happen.

The situation in Jainoor town in Kumuram Bheem Asifabad district remained peaceful on Thursday, a day after protests by tribal organisations against an autorickshaw driver's alleged attempt to rape and murder a tribal woman sparked communal tension prompting authorities to impose a curfew.

The auto-rickshaw driver had attempted to rape the 45-year-old tribal woman in Jainoor mandal on August 31, but when she raised an alaram, he later allegedly attempted to murder her by hitting her with a stick after which she fell unconscious on the road.

Police shifted her to a hospital in the district, and now she is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Hyderabad.

The woman, after gaining consciousness, told the police about the incident and the accused was arrested, and he was booked on charges of sexual assault, attempt to murder and under relevant sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, according to a senior police official.