Santabommali (Srikakulam), July 30: A 20-year old girl, who came to Bhavanapadu beach in Santabommali mandal with her 22-year-old boyfriend, was stripped and molested by two youths. The accused were taken into custody by the Naupada police on Sunday morning.
The victims, believed to be engineering students, came to the beach, 80 km from Srikakulam, on Saturday to spend some time together. The accused youth were identified as Komara Ravi and Aadla Durvasulu who, police said, had a track record of indulging in such crimes in the past. The hapless girl who was stripped was rescued by villagers.
The girl and her friend belonging to Charla of Julumuru mandal and Amudalavalasa were teased by the accused duo. When the couple resisted it, the duo tied the boy to a tree and beat him up. They stripped the girl and molested her in front of her friend.
"They snatched her gold chain, mobile phone and money. They also took her nude pictures on her mobile phone," a police official said.
The girl raised an alarm and screamed for help. She ran away from the miscreants, who chased her. Some fisherwomen in the village close to the beach saw the naked girl and rescued her. On seeing the villagers, the miscreants fled the spot. The boy and the girl refused to divulge their identities and left the place without lodging any police complaint.
The Naupada police swung into action only after the villagers and the village revenue officer (VRO) brought the incident to their notice on Sunday. Based on the descriptions given by the villagers, the cops took Ravi and Durvasulu, petty criminals, into custody. "We have registered a case under section 342, 354, 506, 509 read with 34 of IPC against the duo," Kasibugga DSP P Kumar said. The accused are aged between 24 and 28 years.
Sources said the villagers were shocked to see the girl running without clothes. Women of the village gave her clothes. A police official said the accused belong to the fisherfolk community. "They had committed similar crimes before but neither the victims nor the villagers had come forward to report the matter to the police," sources said. Till now, not a single case has been reported to the police because the victims were worried about their names appearing in the media, police sources said. The incident spot is close to two engineering colleges in Palasa and Tekkali, 20 to 25 km from Bhavanapadu beach. College students head to the beach often to spend some time there, sources said.
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