Andhra: Six students accused of attempting electric shock on minor Dalit boys at govt hostel

Dachepalli (Andhra Pradesh): Six boys—five adults and one minor—allegedly tried to give an electric shock to two minor Dalit boys at a government BC welfare hostel in Palnadu district, police said on Monday.

The incident occurred on August 7 and reportedly stemmed from an attempt to separate one of the victims from a minor girl with whom he was in a mutual relationship. The case came to light on August 9 after a video showing related violence at the hostel went viral on social media.

“A group of six boys—five adults and one minor—allegedly tried to give an electric shock to a minor Dalit boy at the government hostel,” Palnadu district Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) P Jagadeesh told PTI.

Police said one minor accused has been kept in custody until August 22, while court decisions are pending for the others. Two of the accused are outsiders, and the other three live in the same hostel.

According to the DSP, the assault was premeditated after the victim received multiple warnings to end his relationship with the girl. The accused admitted to attempting to administer the electric shock, although this act was not captured in the video.

Hostel in-charge M Deepika confirmed that the widely circulated video showed a minor boy being beaten by fellow students, prompting swift police action.

A case has been registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and other relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.