Guntur police in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday arrested a Telugu Desam Party leader and several members of his family for allegedly stripping, assaulting and publicly humiliating a 46-year-old woman following a dispute over a motor pump connection to a drinking-water pipeline.
The incident occurred on the night of July 15 at Krishnababu Colony, under the limits of Nagarampalem Police Station in Guntur.
It came to light only on Saturday, although the victim had approached the police and lodged a complaint on July 16.
Police registered a case on July 16 against TDP leader Mallela Venkata Ramanamurthy and his family members, including a transgender person. However, they did not arrest him until Saturday, allegedly because of his political connections.
After a video of the incident went viral on social media, the TDP leadership acted and ordered Ramanamurthy’s suspension before the matter escalated into a major political controversy.
Guntur West MLA Galla Madhavi announced his suspension from the party pending further action. She said the TDP would not tolerate any act that compromised the dignity and safety of women.
Police booked Ramanamurthy and his family members under Sections 331(6), 74, 79, 115(2), 118(1) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The charges relate to house trespass, use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, insulting a woman’s modesty, voluntarily causing hurt and committing an assault as a group.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu strongly condemned the incident and described the alleged humiliation of the woman as completely unacceptable.
“I was deeply disturbed by the incident and ordered immediate and stringent action. A criminal case has been registered, the accused have been arrested and the party functionary involved has been suspended,” he said in a post on X.
According to the FIR registered by Nagarampalem Sub-Inspector Pydi Rambabu, Ramanamurthy, claiming to be the ward secretary, allegedly demanded Rs 10,000 from the woman for installing a motor pump on her drinking-water pipeline.
When her husband refused to pay, Ramanamurthy allegedly picked a quarrel and threatened the family.
Later, at around 8 pm on July 15, Ramanamurthy, along with his mother, wife, two sons and other relatives, including a transgender person, allegedly trespassed into the woman’s house and assaulted her and her family members.
During the attack, the accused allegedly tore the woman’s clothes, physically assaulted her and caused bleeding injuries. They also allegedly snatched her gold ornaments, mobile phone and other valuables.
When her elder son, Bala Gopikrishna, intervened, the accused allegedly assaulted him and attempted to strangulate him with a wire.
Local residents eventually intervened and rescued him. Women from the neighbourhood provided clothes to the victim and shifted her to safety, the police said.
Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha took serious note of the incident and spoke to the Guntur district Superintendent of Police to review the progress of the investigation.
The SP reportedly informed her that stringent action had already been initiated against those allegedly involved.
The Home Minister also questioned the delay in the initial police response and directed officials to take action against officers found negligent.
She sought an explanation for the alleged inaction of the inspector during the early stages of the case.
