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Six held for beating up a tribal man, urinating on his face in Andhra Pradesh
The incident, which took place last month in Andhra Pradesh’s Prakasam district, came to light after a video recorded by one of the assaulters, emerged on social media
HYDERABAD: Six persons, including three juveniles, were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly beating a 26-year-old tribal man and urinating on his face in Andhra Pradesh’s Prakasam district, a senior police official said.
The incident happened at Mukthinuthalapadu road in Ongole town on June 19, but came to light only four days ago, when a video of the crime, which was allegedly uploaded on social media by one of the assaulters, went viral.
“In all, nine persons were involved in the incident. We have arrested six persons, including three juveniles. Three others are absconding. We have booked a case against them under Section 324 (voluntarily causing hurt using dangerous weapons), 307 (attempt to murder) and 506 (criminal intimidation), besides various sections of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, at Ongole police station,” Prakasam superintendent of police (SP) Mallika Garg, said.
According to the SP, the victim, identified as Mota Naveen, has a criminal background, having been involved in more than 40 offences, including property thefts and robberies, along with Mannam Ramanjaneya Chowdary alias Anji. Both of them had gone to jail a few times in the past for their offences.
“Naveen also had an affair with a minor girl and eloped with her in December 2022. However, he was arrested on January 3 this year and booked under Section 366 (A) (raping a minor girl) and also Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act,” Garg said.
After coming out of judicial remand a couple of months ago, Naveen continued to be in touch with the girl. This angered her brother, also a juvenile, who along with Anji and his friend Rayapati Abhilash, wanted to teach a lesson to Naveen, police said.
On June 19, Anju along with two other friends, went to the residence of Naveen and took him and his brother Raja to Mukthinuthalapadu area, where they were joined by the minor girl’s brother and five others. All of them consumed liquor and they asked Naveen not to get in touch with the minor girl again.
“It led to an argument between Naveen and others. The minor’s brother, Anji, Abhilash and others brutally assaulted Naveen and his brother Raja with sticks and stones. While Raja managed to escape from the spot, they continued to attack Naveen inflicting injuries. One of them urinated on his face and forced him to drink it, despite him pleading with them with folded hands,” the SP said.
Later, they left the place, leaving Naveen with severe injuries. With the help of a local labourer, he called an ambulance and got himself admitted to the government general hospital, Ongole.
“Since it was a medico-legal case, the hospital staff called the police, who rushed there and recorded his statement. He told them that he was beaten up by two people but did not disclose what had happened,” Garg said.
Based on Naveen’s statement, the police initially registered a case of assault and criminal intimidation and were on the lookout for the two persons who assaulted him.
“But on July 15, a video of the entire incident was circulated on social media and it came to our notice. It was then we realised that it was not a simple case of assault, but a heinous incident,” she said.
The police immediately added Section 307 (attempt to murder) to the FIR and apprehended the suspects.
“On Wednesday, we arrested six persons involved in the incident, including Abhilash, Appanaboina Jayashankar and Shaik Sadiq Gafoor, besides three juveniles including the minor girl’s brother and his two friends,” the SP said.
Three other accused, including Anji, Chapala Prabhu and Ekambaram Narendra, are still at large. “We are confident of arresting them in a day or two,” she added.
