Amaravati/Guntur, July 18 (HS): Nine persons have been arrested in connection with the alleged assault and disrobing of a woman in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur district, police said on Saturday, as the incident drew widespread condemnation and prompted disciplinary action against a police officer for alleged negligence.

According to police, the incident occurred on July 15 in Krishna Babu Colony under the Nagarampalem police station limits. A 46-year-old woman, in her complaint, alleged that she was assaulted on a public road and that one of the accused, along with others, allegedly disrobed her during the attack.

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered on July 16 based on the victim's complaint. Guntur Superintendent of Police Vakul Jindal said all nine accused, including TDP ward secretary Mallela Venkata Ramana Murthy, his wife Sampurna and Thammisetti Venkatesh alias Madhavi, were arrested on July 17 and produced before a court on Saturday.

Police said the case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further investigation is underway.

According to police, the incident allegedly stemmed from a dispute after the family sought permission to drill a borewell following the removal of an existing bore during drainage extension works undertaken by the Guntur Municipal Corporation. The disagreement allegedly escalated into violence.

The controversy intensified after CCTV footage of the incident surfaced on social media, triggering public outrage.

In a parallel development, Guntur district police initiated departmental proceedings against Nagarampalem Circle Inspector Y. Satyanarayana after a preliminary inquiry found lapses in responding promptly to the victim's complaint. SP Vakul Jindal said negligence in cases involving crimes against women would not be tolerated and directed police personnel to handle such complaints with sensitivity and ensure timely legal action.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu described the incident as deeply disturbing and said humiliation of any woman is unacceptable. He said strict action had been ordered and asserted that no one would receive protection on account of political affiliation.

IT Minister Nara Lokesh and Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha also condemned the incident and reiterated the government's zero-tolerance policy towards crimes against women.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) suspended Ramana Murthy from the party following the allegations.

Meanwhile, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) alleged that the accused enjoyed political patronage and questioned the delay in police action. The ruling TDP rejected the allegations, stating that the arrests, suspension of the party functionary and disciplinary action against the police officer demonstrate that action was taken irrespective of political affiliation.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar