A young man was allegedly thrashed and urinated on the face by a group of nine people in Andhra Pradesh’s Prakasam district. Although the incident took place on June 19, the video went viral on Wednesday.
According to a statement by the Superintendent of Police Mallika Garg, the victim – Mota Naveen – was involved in a relationship with one of his friend’s girlfriend.
Naveen, who belongs to a tribal community, was allegedly thrashed and urinated upon by Mannam Ramanjaneyulu and eight more persons on June 19. Two of those eight were juveniles while Ramanjaneyulu is on the run.
“Ramanjaneyulu and Naveen were friends but they had a falling out over the latter’s relationship with a girl related to Ramanjaneyulu’s friend,” Prakasam district superintendent of police Mallika Garg told PTI.
After Naveen eloped with the girl, a case under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was filed against him, and he was sent on remand as well, said Garg.
After Naveen eloped with the girl, a case under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was filed against him, and he was sent on remand as well, said Garg.
However, Naveen was still continuing his affair with the girl, angering Ramanjaneyulu and his friends, which also strained their friendship to the extent that they were not on talking terms, she added.
After some days, Ramanjaneyulu called Naveen, feigning a patch but after having drinks together, he and his friends attacked Naveen. The accused also urinated on him.
Following the attack, Naveen filed a police complaint and got admitted to a hospital for treatment but did not pursue the case further or reveal the urination incident.
However, when police intensified their probe, Garg said they stumbled upon the videos showing Naveen being urinated upon.
Considering the intensity of the crime, she said police have invoked the Prevention of SC/ST Atrocities Act suo motu (on its own) in the case of Naveen belonging to a tribal community.
However, Garg noted that this was not a premeditated caste-prejudicial case as all of them were friends while Ramanjaneyulu and Naveen together had committed several serious crimes, including having history sheets and about 30 cases registered against them.
Both of them were also childhood friends. Meanwhile, police are on the hunt for Ramanjaneyulu.
