Amaravati, Jul 19 (IANS): Andhra Pradesh police have arrested six people including three juveniles for the shameful incident in which they humiliated a tribal youth by urinating on his face after brutally assaulting him.
The incident that occurred in Ongole town of Prakasam district on June 19 has come to light a month later with shocking visuals of at least three accused urinating on the badly injured youth circulating on social media.
Prakasam district Superintendent of Police Mallika Garg stated that the incident was reported on June 19 when the victim, Naveen, who belongs to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, was admitted to the hospital with injuries.
“On interrogation he had mentioned that there was a brawl between his friends and him but had not mentioned about them urinating on him. After the video went viral, Naveen gave a statement that his friends, who belong to Kamma and other communities harassed him and threatened him by urinating on him,” she said in a statement.
The SP said out of the nine accused, six have been arrested while three were absconding. A team has been deployed to nab the absconding.
“Out of the 6 arrested, 3 are juveniles who are being produced before court. A case has been registered under sections 307 and SC/ST Act,” the SP said.
The motive for the crime is that Naveen eloped with the accused Abhilash's girlfriend and they wanted to take revenge. So, they called Naveen for a dinner meet and then assaulted him followed by urinating on him.
The nine accused and Naveen are childhood friends who have been involved in property crimes in the past and have been rowdy-sheeters with 30 cases against them.
In a similar incident, in Madhya Pradesh, a BJP leader had urinated on a tribal labourer, the Ongole incident triggered an outrage with tribal groups demanding an action.
In the video clip circulated on social media, a profusely bleeding victim is seen pleading the attackers to spare him. Not stopping at that, some of the accused urinated on the victim’s mouth and asked him to drink it.