The Telugu Desam Party government in Andhra Pradesh heaved a sigh of relief, when the body of Annem Subbaiah, the rickshaw puller who raped a nine-year old girl in Dachepally town of Guntur district, was found hanging from a tree in a far-away village.
But the story did not with his suicide. Though the TDP thought the suicide would put an end to the anger of the villagers and also political mudslinging, it did not happen.
None other than the girls’ relatives themselves alleged that Subbaiah might have been killed by the police and projected it as a suicide to douse the public anger.
“The feet of Subbaiah were touching the ground. May be he was killed,” they alleged.
The family members also said the case cannot be hushed up just because Subbaiah committed suicide.
Tension prevailed The family members of the girl did not allow the vehicles of deputy chief minister N Chinna Rajappa, minister Pratipati Pulla Rao, Collector Kona Sasidhar and others till evening.
“His suicide or death does not mean justice was done to the family,” they argued and demanded that the body of Subbaiah be handed over to them, so that they would burn it in public. The police tried to convince them that they cannot do it as it is against the law.
The rape has triggered a state-wide protest with the victims’ relatives resorting to massive agitation for the last two days demanding that Subbaiah be arrested and hanged in public.
The TDP government landed in a deep trouble with the issue taking a political turn, as YSR Congress party lashed out at chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu for failing to provide security to women and girls.
The police launched a manhunt for Subbaiah but could not trace him even after 48 hours. Finally, on Friday afternoon, Subbaiah was found hanging from a tree near Amaralingeswara Swamy temple.
The police had produced a call data record showing Subbaiah talking to one of his relatives last evening that he was committing suicide as he felt guilty of resorting to heinous crime.
Since the relatives of Subbaiah did not come forward to take the body, the authorities are planning to give it to the Gurajala municipality for cremation.
