Andhra to ask fast-track courts to try rape cases

Amaravati, PTI: The Andhra Pradesh government on Tuesday said it will write to the High Court for setting up a fast-track court to hear two recent sensational rape cases in the state. State Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha noted that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu took this decision to ensure that the accused persons in the alleged incidents of rape occurred in Sathya Sai and Bapatla districts were punished as soon as possible. On October 12, a gang of five thieves including three minors, raped a woman and her daughterin- law in Chilamathur mandal of Sri Sathyasai district, it is alleged. In a previous incident, 21-yearold woman was allegedly raped and murdered at Epurupalem village in Bapatla district, in June.

Anitha said these two cases will be handed over to the fast-track court and it will send a message that culprits cannot escape punishment through longdrawn court cases and easily procured bails. Addressing a press conference at the secretariat, Anitha said, "To ensure that the accused persons are punished, the CM has taken a decision. Government will write to the High Court for a fast-track court. This fasttrack court is for this (Sri Sathyasai district) case and another case from Bapatla where a woman was raped and murdered." Police nabbed five people accused in the Sri Sathyasai district case using technology and by chasing them for about 200 kms in 48 hours, Home Minister said. They were all remanded and one of them had 32 cases – including those of rape and theft - booked against him. Exhorting officials to use CCTV surveillance cameras as much as possible, she called upon people and entities to sync their CCTV footage with that of police network to help harvest actionable intelligence.