Kundapur: Auto drivers sexually abuse girls with false promises of marriage
 
Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur
 
Kundapur, Jul 29: Two auto drivers have been accused of cheating two girls with false promises of marriage and taking sexual advantage of them for a year, and then abandoning them.

The accused Vinod and Pradeep are absconding.

The two girls, aged 18 and 16, belonging to Koraga community, are from Noojady in Vandse, while the auto drivers are from Janata colony here.

In a complaint filed by one of the girl’s mother, it is said that the duo had promised to marry the girls last year. The two girls, working in a local cashew factory used to go in their auto to work.
 
The auto drivers had physical relationship with the girls for a year and on July 2, the accused took them to a forest area near their house and allegedly raped them.
 
When the girls asked the accused to marry them, they threatened to kill them, said the girl's mother in her complaint with Kollur police.
 
It is said that the accused had the support of a few locals and they publicized the rape incident.
 
Sources said one of the victim's mother has been trying to file a case with the Kollur police for the last three months, but in vain. A written complaint was also submitted, but the sub-inspector reportedly refused to file a case and instead ask the victims' families to compromise and save their honour.

It was Dalit leader Sushil who stepped into the police station demanding justice to the girls, after which the police registered a case on Saturday July 27 night.
 
The two accused are said to be absconding and search is on to trace them.
 
Under the guidance of DySP Yashoda Vantagodi and circle inspector Arun Kumar, SI Devendra and other officials are investigating the case.