Do not politicise murder of girl: Home Minister

Home Minister V Anitha urged opposition leaders not to politicise the tragic murder of a seven-year-old girl in Punganur, cautioning them against attempting to gain political mileage from the heinous incident.
Home Minister Anitha, along with Transport Minister M Ramprasad Reddy and Minority Welfare Minister NM Farook, visited Punganur on Sunday to console the grieving family of the deceased girl. The young victim was murdered, and her body was found dumped in a summer storage tank on September 29.
Speaking to the media, Home Minister Anitha assured the bereaved family of full support from the government. She also confirmed that the accused in the case would be severely punished. The Minister noted that 12 special police teams were formed, sniffer dogs were deployed, and clue teams were engaged in the search after the girl was reported missing on September 29. “Sadly, the girl’s body was found floating in the summer storage tank,” she lamented.
The Home Minister announced the arrest of the three accused and appreciated the police for resolving the case swiftly. She also shared that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had spoken to the parents of the deceased, offering his condolences and promising all necessary assistance.
Anitha criticised opposition leaders for attempting to politicise the incident. “Several heinous crimes occurred during the YSRCP regime, yet the then Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy did not console the bereaved families,” she remarked, accusing the YSRCP of exploiting the girl’s murder for political gain. She clarified that the post-mortem report confirmed the girl was not raped, and no injuries were found on her body.
Transport Minister Ramprasad Reddy condemned the killing as unfortunate, assuring that strict action would be taken against the offenders. He urged the media not to frame the incident in a political light, criticising certain news channels for spreading false information about rape. He also objected to revealing the victim’s name.
Minority Welfare Minister Farook highlighted the support extended by both police and public representatives to the bereaved family, adding that steps were being taken to ensure the accused are rigorously punished. Collector Sumit Kumar, SP Manikantha Chandolu, MLA Shajahan Basha, and former Mayor Kathari Hemalatha were among those who accompanied the Ministers during the visit.