Visakhapatnam: In a shocking incident in Visakhapatnam, a 43-year-old woman was raped in public in broad daylight, by a drunk 23-year-old man. What is even more appalling is the fact that the passers-by chose to videograph the horrific crime instead of trying to stop the assault or even call for help.

In the video, it is seen that many people are walking by casually while the assault is in progress.

The perpetrator has been identified as Ganji Siva, a truck cleaner, who was arrested in the evening and was later brought before the court on Monday. He has been sent to two weeks judicial custody.

The incident occured at around 2.30 pm, in New Railway Colony between Tadichetlapalem and the railway station.

Visakhapatnam IV town police sub-inspector K Suresh said that the victim had left her house a couple days prior after a family spat. She is said to have been in a weakened state as she had not eaten for several hours and was alseep under some shade on the footpath. The inebriated Siva, took this as an opportunity and began to sexually assault the woman.

The woman was too weak to fight back and the onlookers could not be bothered to help her.

The incident was reported to the police by an auto driver, who like the others, merely took a video of the assault without even trying to help the woman. The perpetrator had escaped on his bike, by the time the police reached the scene of the crime. The police were however, able to obtain information from Srinu (the auto driver) and the other locals and arrest the criminal.

The whole series of events has left the police shocked at the apathy of the passers-by and attributed this behaviour to the people’s growing insensitivity towards crimes against women.

The victim is presently in King George Hospital for a medical examination. The police have stated that the criminal, has been booked under Section 376 of the IPC and added that they are yet to gather any information about the woman.