Dalit man tonsured by seven including wife of reality show contestant in Andhra Pradesh

Visakhapatnam police have on Saturday arrested seven people, including the wife of a reality show contestant and filmmaker, for assaulting and tonsuring a Dalit youth accusing him of stealing a phone.

20-year-old Srikanth Parri was working as a house help at the Pendurthi residence of Nutan Naidu and had left the job on 1 August.

On 27 August, Naidu’s wife and prime accused in the case Priya Madhuri had summoned Srikanth through another accused Chebrolu Varahalu, the housekeeping supervisor, to enquire about the phone. Replying that he is not connected to the phone’s missing, Srikanth went back home.

“Srikanth was called back again on Friday afternoon when Priya along with other staff restrained him and beat him indiscriminately with sticks, iron rod while alleging that he stole Priya’s phone and hacked the cell phone of (A2) Indira Rani. The attack caused injury to his head. As the complainant begged them not to kill him, the accused brought a barber (A4) Ippili Ravi and got his head tonsured. They further threatened him of dire consequences if the incident was revealed to anyone,” the police said.

Based on the complaint of the victim, a case was registered at the Pendurthy PS, Visakhapatnam city under various IPC sections including 307 (attempt to murder), and provisions of the SC, ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.

Visakhapatnam Assistant Commissioner of Police (SC/ST Cell-I) examined the scene of the offence, seized the tonsured hair of the complainant and weapons including stick, iron rod and also the CCTV footage.

The Opposition Telugu Desam Party has been alleging that the atrocities on Dalits are on the rise since Jaganmohan Reddy’s YSRCP came to power last year.

In July, a Dalit youth was assaulted and tonsured in a police station in Seethanagaram of East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.