Thaindian News

Hyderabad, Sep 18 (IANS) A teenaged girl, who was injured and whose parents were brutally killed by a stalker in Andhra Pradesh’s Rajahmundry town, has demanded that he be hanged in public.
Anusha, the 17-year-old who suffered knife injuries on the neck and is undergoing treatment in a hospital, Friday recorded her statement before a magistrate. She demanded that M. Rajesh Kumar, who stabbed her parents to death, be hanged.

“Either hang him publicly for killing my parents and destroying my family or allow me and other students to kill him, then only I will get some peace of mind,” Anusha, a 12th standard student, said in her statement. She also did not believe that the government can do justice to her.

Rajesh, 18, an employee of a courier agency, was harassing Anusha, daughter of an autorickshaw driver, for the last six months. On a complaint by the girl in May, the town police had arrested him. After spending four days in jail, Rajesh came out on bail but continued stalking Anusha.

On Thursday night, he jumped over the wall of Anusha’s house, whipped out a knife and attacked her. Hearing her screams, Anusha’s parents rushed to protect her but they were stabbed several times by Rajesh. Anusha’s father N. Srinu, 37, and mother N. Satyavathi, 35, died on the way to hospital.

Neighbours caught Rajesh, beat him up and handed him over to police.

The incident has shocked the state and evoked strong public outrage. Women and student organisations held demonstrations demanding stringent punishment to the guilty. Even autorickshaw drivers in the town observed a shutdown.

Home Minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy told reporters here that the government would take all steps to help Anusha and her two younger sisters. She said the government would fund their education.

The minister said stern action would be taken against Rajesh. She said this case would come under the proposed legislation to provide stringent punishment to those involved in acid attacks on women.