A class 10 student named U Amarnath (15) was burnt alive in Andhra Pradesh's Bapatla district on Friday, June 16, allegedly by a man who had been sexually harassing his 17-year-old sister. The attackers poured petrol on Amarnath and set him on fire when he was on his way to tuition. He was rushed to a Government General Hospital at Guntur in critical condition, where he succumbed to burn injuries. The incident occurred in Rajavolu village of Cherukupalli mandal on Friday morning.
Amarnath, a student of Class 10, was on his way to a tuition class on his bicycle when he was stopped by some youth near Redlapalem, who poured petrol on him and set him on fire. Hearing the cries of the boy, local residents rushed to douse the fire and shifted him to GGH Guntur. He, however, succumbed to the injuries. In his dying declaration, the boy told police that Venkateshwar Reddy (21) and a few others torched him. Venkateshwar has been booked for Amarnath’s murder, and for stalking his sister under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, Bapatla Superintendent of Police Vakul Jindal told TNM.
Amarnath's grandfather Reddaiah reportedly alleged that a man who has been harassing Amarnath's sister was responsible for the killing. Amarnath had reportedly pulled up Venkateshwar harassing his sister and questioned him for roaming around the college where his sister was studying. Police registered a case and launched a search for the assailants. SP Vakul Jindal said that Venkateshwar had been detained and was under interrogation.
With IANS inputs