Amaravati, Oct 5 : YSR Congress Party's women's wing president and MLC Varudu Kalyani has expressed deep anguish over the brutal murder of a seven-year-old girl in Chittoor district.

Seven-year-old girl Asfiya Azam, who went missing on September 29, was found dead in a summer storage tank near Punganur town on October 3.

Speaking to the media in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, Varudu Kalyani found fault with the police for failing to locate the child, despite the family's complaints.

She said if the police had responded promptly, the child's family would not have been suffering this tragic loss.

The YSR Congress leader also alleged that the police were trying to downplay the case without proper investigation, even though the victim's body bore visible injuries.

She criticised the government, saying women are living in constant fear under the TDP-led coalition administration, and cited recent cases of violence against women across the state, including the murder of a girl in Nandyal district.

Kalyani also pointed out that during the previous government's tenure, the Disha App and police played a crucial role in protecting women.

She accused the present government of neglecting women's safety and demanded justice for the victims.

She said the police took swift action in the case relating to the fire at the office of Madanapalle Sub-Collector but showed no urgency in saving the girl's life in Punganur.

Meanwhile, former minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy has announced that YSRCP president and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will visit the family of Asfiya on October 9 to offer his support and condolences.

After meeting the victim's family, Ramachandra Reddy and MP Peddireddy Mithun Reddy expressed their deep sympathies and assured the family that YSRCP would stand by them during this incredibly difficult time.

Ramachandra Reddy strongly condemned the incident, stating that such a horrific crime had never occurred in Chittoor district before.

He criticised the police for their delayed response and questioned their inaction in handling the case. He also pointed out the swift action taken by authorities during the Madanapalle Sub-Collectorate fire incident, highlighting the lack of urgency shown in this tragic case.

The former Minister urged the authorities to immediately apprehend those responsible for this heinous crime and deliver justice to the grieving family.

/IANS