Andhra Pradesh horror: 13 arrested for sexually assaulting 15-year-old girl; remaining accused on the run

TIRUPATI: Seven more people including a minor, have been arrested in connection with the alleged confinement and repeated sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl in Andhra Pradesh’s Sri Sathya Sai district, police said. This follows the arrest of six other suspects on Monday, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to 13. Police said the girl had been held captive for several months and assaulted multiple times by a group of men in Edugurrala Palli village, located in Ramagiri mandal. She eventually managed to escape and filed a complaint with the local police station. A case has been registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and the Information Technology Act. Those arrested on Tuesday were identified as Budidha Rajesh (34), T Hemanth (26), CB Karthik (18), B Sonappa (46), A Mukthananda (23), B Rajendra (29), and one minor. Superintendent of police V Rathna said special teams, led by the Dharmavaram deputy superintendent of police, were continuing the search for the remaining accused. “They will be arrested soon,” she said. The incident has triggered widespread outrage in the state, with many calling for swift justice and increased protection for vulnerable children.