A 65-year-old man was tied to a tree and thrashed by residents in Sayempalem village of West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh. The locals resorted to the shocking act following allegations that the man’s son had molested a married woman from the same locality.

A Sanjeeva Rao, the victim of mob justice, unable to bear the humiliation, later attempted to end his life by consuming pesticide. However, he was rushed to Eluru government hospital by his relatives and is being treated.

Speaking to TNM, T Narasapuram police said that the man’s son A Nagendra (26) had allegedly molested a 21-year-old married woman and then fled the village shortly after the incident came into light.

As the woman’s relatives could not trace the molester, they decided to question his father. When Sanjeeva Rao was asked the whereabouts of his son, he apparently said he did not know where his son was.

Angered by his reply, the relatives of the woman and other villagers tied him to a tree and thrashed him. After he returned home, Sanjeeva Rao is said to have consumed pesticide. 

When TNM approached the T Narasapuram Sub-Inspector of Police, he denied that a mob had thrashed the old man, saying, “Few people led by M Raju (45), the molested woman’s uncle, tied up the old man to a tree but they did not thrash him. In a few minutes, some other villagers came there and released him.”

However, local media reported that the old man had been beaten up for the alleged crime done by his son.

Police said that they went to the village after learning about the matter and conducted an enquiry. When TNM asked if any case had been registered, the SI informed that two cases had been registered.

He said, “A case under IPC section 306 (abetment to suicide) read with 116 (Abetment of offence punishable with imprisonment) has been registered against M Raju. Another case under section 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) has been filed against A Nagendra.”