GOSAMPALLE YELLAPUR (NIRMAL): Hindu elders performed ‘homam’ at the house of the rape victim who has been named Samata to protect her identity, at Gosampalle Yellapur in Khanapur mandal in Nirmal district to pray that the three accused in the case get the death penalty when the court gives its judgment on Monday.
Kishan Maharaj of Navashakti Durga Mata temple of Adilabad and some other priests and their disciples performed the homam and other rituals from 12 noon to 4 pm on Saturday. They came to the victim’s house and offered to perform homan, which they did with some material they had brought. They offered jandhyams (sacred thread ) to victim’s relatives and made them to chant some verses. She belonged to the extremely impoverished Budaga Jangalu community of the Scheduled Castes and used to sell balloons and utensils and collected waste hair to earn a living and was raped on November 24, 2019.
The three accused — Sheik Babu, Sheik Shaboddin and Sheik Muqdum — are from Yellapatar in Lingapur mandal in Kumara-mbheem Asifabad district and have been arrested.
Samata’s aunt told this newspaper that the religious elders led by Kishan Maharaj had told her that they had performed homam aiming to bring peace to the family following death of two persons and also to pray that the accused in the rape case get the death penalty.
The aunt said her husband had died of ill-health caused by the death of their daughter-in-law just 20 days after Samata's murder.
The Maharaj also told the family members not to come out of their home as inauspicious days are going on for them and everything will be all right soon.
They also brought some ‘safety spray bottles’ with them and handed them out to the Dalit women who attended the homam. Ms Pattiri Sattavva, a local, said the Maharaj asked them to use the spray when they are in danger. The Maharaj and his team including women disciples arranged annadanam (community meal) for 20 persons at the same place. The Maharaj reportedly asked the victim’s family to come to Durga temple in Adilabad on Tuesday and promised them that he will do some other puja for the well being of their family.
