17-year-old alleges rape by 14 cops

A 17-year-old girl from Hyderabad, who was rescued from a brothel in Budhwar Peth in 2006 has alleged that as many as 14 city police personnel had raped her at a lodge in Nana Peth in February 2005.

The girl submitted her complaint to the police commissionerate on September 2. Besides, a delegation of Republican Party of India (RPI) had a meeting with Joint Commissioner of Police Rajendra Sonawane on Saturday, demanding investigations into the matter.

Sonawane said that the complaint has been forwarded to the social security cell of crime branch. “The girl has made allegation against certain officers of city police. The crime branch officers will conduct a probe into the matter. Depending on the merit of the case, we will decide further course of action,” he said.

The girl said that some high profile residents of Hyderabad raped her and then sold her to a brothel in Budhwar Peth through a pimp in February 2005. She identified the pimp as Nepali Bhai.

The girl said the Faraskhana police had arrested her on Dussera Day in 2005. “The police noted my name as Seema from Nimbada in Rajasthan despite me telling them that I am from Hyderbad and want to go back to my family. But they ignored my pleas. The police also kept me at Shukrawar Peth police station for three days where I was raped repeatedly,” she alleged

She also alleged that girls who are pushed into prostitution at Budhwar Peth are first presented before the police. She said that brothel keepers inject some drugs into the minor girls and are forced to entertain about 30 customers every day.

“I was forced to entertain customers for 11 months at the brothel. Due to this, I am now suffering from AIDS,” she said.

The girl said that after she was rescued from the brothel in 2006, she had written to the Chief minister and Deputy Chief Minister about her sufferings, but not action was taken.