Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday announced that he will act as guardian of the nine-year-old girl, who was allegedly raped by a 60-year-old rickshaw puller in Guntur, and bear all expenses of her education.

After calling on the victim at government-run hospital in Guntur town, he said he would provide his personal money for her education till she achieves her goal in the life.

Naidu said while the girl’s parents would do their duty, he would ensure best education for her with all facilities.

“I have already asked the district collector to identify the best school in Guntur,” he said.

The state government has already announced Rs 5 lakh compensation to the family of the victim. Naidu on Saturday announced that another Rs 5 lakh would be made fixed deposit in the girl’s name.

He also assured two acres of land for the family for agriculture, a job to her father and house site.

The girl was allegedly raped by a 60-year-old rickshaw puller on Wednesday in Dachepalli in Guntur district, causing public outrage. The accused later committed suicide by hanging near the village.

Calling for publicly hanging the rapists, Naidu said his government would be tough in dealing with such criminals.

The chief minister said there was a need to instil fear in rapists that the day they commit such heinous crime will be their last day on earth. “Only this fear could act as a deterrent,” he added.

Naidu said there would be no place for such people in the state. “Man should live like man not like beast,” he said.

He also announced that the government will set up special courts for early trial of rape cases. He appealed to lawyers not to defend the accused. “Lawyers are also part of the society. They too have children,” he said.

He called for conducting rallies across the state on Monday with the slogan ‘Let us save the daughters’ and appealed to all people to participate.

Voicing concern over the misuse of technology and the menace of porn films on Internet also resulting in such incidents, Naidu said the government would work out how to deal with this problem.