Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu orders strict action against the perpetrators; the accused have been arrested
KUPPAM – An unpaid loan of Rs 80,000 caused a public humiliation of a middle-aged woman in the Kuppam Municipality in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district on Monday.
Sirisha Puttillu, a resident of Kenchanaballa in Shantipuram mandal, was attacked while visiting Narayanapuram. She was tied to a tree and assaulted over her husband’s unpaid loan. She was in the village to collect her son’s transfer certificate from a local school.
Kuppam is the assembly constituency of the state’s Chief Minister, N Chandrababu Naidu.
The chief minister has condemned the shocking incident and instructed the police to take strict action against those responsible, stressing that such inhumane acts must not be repeated.
It is learnt that Sirisha’s husband, Thimmarayappa, had reportedly taken a loan of Rs 80,000 from a villager named Munikannappa and subsequently left the village, without repaying the debt. Sirisha has been working in Bengaluru as a daily wage labourer to support her child’s upbringing.
On Monday, she was confronted in the village by Munikannappa, his wife Munemma, their son Raja and daughter-in-law Jagadeeswari. The group allegedly tied her to a tree and physically assaulted her, demanding repayment of the loan taken by Thimmarayappa.
Alerted by residents, police rushed to the spot and rescued Sirisha. Based on her complaint, a case has been registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and the Chittoor Superintendent of Police confirmed that the accused have been arrested on Monday.
Chief Minister Naidu directed the official to ensure that such incidents do not recur. He also asked district officials to stand by and provide all necessary support to the victim’s family.
According to police, Thimmarayappa had taken a loan of Rs 80,000 from Munikannappa. Unable to repay the loan, he left the village. His wife, Sirisha, was staying at her parents’ house in Kenchanaballa village.
Munikannappa is said to be a member of the Telugu Desam Party.
Naidu, who spoke to the SP directly, has ordered stringent action against all those involved in the assault, emphasising that violence against women will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
