The Kothagudem police arrested a constable for harboring the accused in the rape of a minor girl

The Kothagudem twin-city police on Friday arrested a constable of the VI battalion of the TGSP for allegedly providing shelter to one of the accused in the rape of a minor girl case that was reported in Kothagudem recently.

The police had earlier arrested the three main accused, all autorickshaw drivers, along with an accomplice in connection with the case on Wednesday.

The arrested constable, identified as Venkatesh, has been named as the sixth accused in the case.

According to the police, the main accused M. Ramakrishna (21) allegedly lured the minor girl on the pretext of love and raped her a few weeks ago. His associates, Vijender and Mahesh, both autorickshaw drivers, are also accused of sexually assaulting the victim on different days by blackmailing and intimidation.

The accused were booked under various sections of POCSO, BNS and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The horrific incident sent shockwaves across the coal-fired city, sparking widespread outrage and demands for the harshest punishment for the perpetrators.

Residents of the coal-fired city have also called for increased vigilance against anti-social elements so that similar heinous crimes do not recur.

Published – 17 Jul 2026 20:51 IST