The acquittal of 13 policemen accused of raping 11 tribal women in Andhra Pradesh’s Vakapalli hamlet has left the victims frustrated and disappointed. The survivors expressed their disappointment at a justice system they believed was biased in favour of the powerful. The court’s decision to compensate the victims was seen as the only silver lining in a case that dragged on for 12 years.
The Special Court for SC and ST Prevention of Atrocities Act cum XI Additional District and Sessions Judge acquitted the 13 policemen accused of gang-raping and assaulting 11 women in a combing operation in Vakapalli hamlet on August 20, 2007.
The survivors expressed frustration that justice had eluded them, stating that a policeman will never investigate the crime of another policeman. The court’s compensation order was seen as a positive development, though two of the 11 women had passed away since the incident.
The court noted that the investigation was compromised from the moment the FIR was registered, with no police visiting the alleged crime scene or recording the women’s statements. The court also observed that the investigation officer had not collected and preserved the duty register or armoury diary, and no identification test of the accused was conducted for 12 years.
Advocate Harish Varma, who was part of the defence team on behalf of the accused personnel, called the women’s accusations a Maoist conspiracy to frame police personnel and prevent further combing operations.
The Tribal Welfare Minister P Rajanna Dora stated that the state government would abide by the court’s decision to provide adequate compensation to the victims, but he refrained from commenting on the court’s decision to acquit the 13 policemen.
One survivor suggested that the investigation officer should be sent to jail and punished for a shoddy job while the son of another survivor stated that they were tired of the legal battle and would not pursue the matter anymore.
