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The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Thursday urged the media to report rape cases with sensitivity after inspecting the alleged crime site at Medaram village in Telangana's Mulugu district following reports of a sexual assault on a minor girl that emerged during the recently concluded Sammakka Saralamma Jatara festival.
The Commission took suo motu cognisance after reports circulated in the media and on social media platforms claiming that a 13-year-old girl had been sexually assaulted, with some reports even alleging gang rape by five youths from Chhattisgarh. An NCW team visited the area to verify the claims and interacted with local officials as part of the inquiry. Speaking to ANI, Delina Khongdup, Member, NCW, said the allegations were found to be untrue. "Today we are at Mulugu for the rumour that has been spread that a 13-year-old girl was raped here. We found out that such an incident has not happened here, and even the reporter who reported this incident has apologised," she said. Khongdup added that the reporter had issued an apology letter to the police through his YouTube channel. She strongly cautioned against the spread of misinformation, stating that such rumours create panic and undermine public trust. "These kinds of misinformation or rumours must be stopped. We, at the NCW, take such matters very seriously, and we are not going to tolerate such crimes in our country. We request the media, social media users, and YouTubers to report such cases with sensitivity," she said. Another NCW member, Kanchan Khattar, said the team met the Deputy Collector and Superintendent of Police concerned, who confirmed that the reported incident was a rumour. "They are providing us with a full report. Police are taking action against such reports if found false," she said, adding that the Commission would give its opinion after examining the complete report. The NCW reiterated the need for responsible reporting, especially during large public gatherings like the Sammakka Saralamma Jatara, emphasising that false claims can damage social harmony and divert attention from genuine cases requiring urgent action. (ANI)
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