Date:25/01/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/01/25/stories/2006012522460400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

`Sexual abuse' of mentally challenged maid: 6 held

Staff Reporter

Heinous act comes to light after the victim's mother complains to the police

HYDERABAD: Three cousins and four of their friends allegedly sexually abused a mentally challenged woman working as a domestic help for the past one year at Azamabad in Chikkadpally. The heinous act came to light on Tuesday when the victim's mother approached the local police.

"It is also charged that the victim became pregnant but the accused got her seven-month pregnancy terminated a few weeks ago," Chikkadpally Inspector V.N.V. Satyanarayana said.

The 25-year-old woman used to live with her elderly parents at Ramnagar earlier. At the instance of her parents, she took up work as a maid in the house of a watchman, Chandraiah, a couple of years ago. Chandraiah has three sons, Raju, Sheshu and Shanku, and his wife Buchchamma is a contract municipal worker. Raju allegedly set his eyes on the maid as other members of the family used to go out for work.

Raju's cousins, Ravi and Ranjit, who also live in the same house, too allegedly began sexually exploiting the mentally challenged woman, police said. Subsequently, their friends Kishore, Ranga and two others also raped the woman.

All the six accused have been picked up and a case of rape booked against them.