Chandrababu Naidu orders strict action on Kuppam incident

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has expressed outrage over a shocking incident in his Kuppam constituency, where a 25-year-old woman, Sirisha, was tied to a tree and assaulted over an unpaid loan of Rs 80,000.

The incident, which took place on Monday in Narayanapuram village, Chittoor district, sparked widespread condemnation after a viral video surfaced showing the victim being humiliated.

TDP leader’s harassment

The woman’s husband, Thimmarayappa, had borrowed the amount from Muni Kannappa, allegedly a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) worker, three years ago. Unable to repay the debt, Thimmarayappa abandoned his family, leaving Sirisha, a daily wage laborer, to support her two children.

On Monday, while visiting Narayanapuram to collect her son’s school transfer certificate, Sirisha was dragged from her home, tied to a neem tree, and assaulted by Kannappa and his family members, including his wife Munemma, son Raja, and daughter-in-law Jagadeswari, in front of her child.

Reacting swiftly, CM Naidu spoke to the Chittoor district Superintendent of Police (SP) on Tuesday, directing stringent legal action against the perpetrators. The SP confirmed that the accused had been arrested. Naidu emphasized that such “inhuman” acts would not be tolerated, instructing officials to ensure such incidents do not recur and to provide full support to the victim’s family.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, and an investigation is underway.

The incident has drawn sharp criticism, with opposition leaders like Andhra Pradesh Congress chief YS Sharmila calling it a “crime that society should hang its head in shame” and questioning women’s safety in Naidu’s constituency.

While Naidu’s prompt response has been noted, the incident has intensified scrutiny on the TDP government’s handling of local issues, especially given the accused’s alleged party affiliation.