Assault on tribal woman: HC takes up case suo motu

HYDERABAD: Taking a serious view of the ill-treatment meted out to a tribal woman who was allegedly beaten by LB Nagar cops and then taken to the police station around 11pm from LB Nagar crossroads on Independence Day, the Telangana high court took it up as a suo motu writ petition based on media reports.
A bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice T Vinod Kumar would hear the case on Tuesday.The incident was brought to the notice of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe by Justice Surepalli Nanda.
The CJ directed the registry to list officials who should be held answerable. The tribal woman is currently undergoing treatment at Jeevan Hospital in Karmanghat in Hyderabad for her injuries. Two cops have so far been suspended by the department.
“Even if the police suspected that she had committed an illegal act, they still have no right to subject a woman to third-degree methods,” Justice Nanda said in her note to CJ. The judge wanted a probe to ascertain any loss of money or ornaments during her ordeal.
Justice Nanda also said that the state should be directed by the court to extend her all assistance and schemes meant for vulnerable tribal women. According to media reports, the woman had gone to her relative’s house to seek help for her daughter’s wedding.
She was picked up later from LB Nagar crossroads while returning and the woman has claimed that she has lost money and ornaments. Cops, however, have claimed she was detained for nuisance on the road.