Telangana Industry Minister KT Rama Rao has agreed to the proposal to set up a sex offenders register in the state in the lines of the one in the US which can be accessed by the public for the purpose of recruitment.
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The proposal first came from noted activist Sunitha Krishnan after it came to light that a four years old kindergarten student was sexually molested for past two months by the driver of the principal of a private school where she studied. The driver B Rajani Kumar has been arrested under the POCSO Act. The school principal too has been booked under the POCSO Act.
Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, who expressed distress over the shocking incident, has sought a detailed report on this incident from the state government.
Krishnan, Padma Shri and activist against sexual offences and trafficking, approached the Minister with the proposal of a register on sexual offenders on social media. “Can we set up a sex offenders register for the state of Telangana of convicted offenders on the lines that exists in USA which even the public can access for the purpose of recruitment, etc. I am happy to submit a concept note based on research on 20 countries,” she wrote to Minister KT Rama Rao.
The Minister immediately responded to her proposal tweeting: “Let’s absolutely get it done. Please present the concept note and we will take it forward.”
True to her promise Krishnan sent a concept note and a draft Telangana Sex Offenders’ Registration Bill to the Minister’s office by evening. She wrote: “I do hope we can do this in our state which will send jitters in the minds of every perpetrator and may be some deterrence.”
Meanwhile, the Governor’s office also issued a statement over the sexual molestation case involving the driver of the principal of DAV School in Banjara Hills.
“The Governor expressed her dismay and deep anguish over the incident and called for immediate action against the culprit who perpetrated the heinous crime. The Hon’ble Governor has sought a detailed report on this incident from the government,” said the statement.
Only a few months back, Hyderabad was rocked by the Jubilee Hills rape case in which six persons including five juveniles raped an underage girl at an isolated place inside a vehicle. All the accused are well connected and well-heeled including the son of an MLA.