Andhra Pradesh Man Arrested For Assaulting Government Employee He Met on Instagram

Police in Palnadu district have arrested a 27-year-old man in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a government employee in Macherla, an incident that had sparked concern across Andhra Pradesh. The accused, identified as Namala Srinivas from Rajupalem village, was taken into custody near Macherla railway station and later remanded to judicial custody by a court on April 9.

According to police, the 32-year-old victim, who works as a subordinate in the Panchayat Raj Department and resides in Macherla town, had come into contact with the accused through a social media messaging platform. Investigators said their interaction continued over Instagram, which eventually led to the accused visiting her residence earlier this month.

The alleged assault reportedly took place on April 2 between 3:30 pm and 4:30 pm when the woman was alone at home. Police said the accused entered the house under the pretext of asking for a glass of water before threatening her with a knife. He allegedly assaulted her, tied her hands and legs with a scarf, and fled the scene. The victim was later rescued by neighbours and shifted to a government hospital in Macherla before being referred to Guntur for further treatment. Her condition is now stable.

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Following the complaint, Macherla Town Police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Given the seriousness of the case, special police teams were formed to examine CCTV footage, call records, and digital evidence. Authorities also stated that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to ensure swift action in the investigation.

The Palnadu Superintendent of Police, B. Krishna Rao, said the accused was identified through CCTV analysis and mobile phone data. He added that technical evidence played a crucial role in tracing the suspect despite limited initial clues. “Our teams worked continuously and were able to identify and track the accused in a short time,” he said.

Police have seized both the accused’s mobile phone and the victim’s damaged phone, which have been sent for forensic examination. Officials confirmed that further investigation is underway to establish the full sequence of events and gather additional evidence in the case.

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