80year old ties up, beats Dalit boy, booked

HYDERABAD : A 14-year-old Dailt boy was reportedly tied up with a rope and beaten by an 80-year-old man for allegedly trying to pluck a pomegranate from a farm at Keesara village in Shabad mandal on Saturday afternoon.

The incident came to light on Tuesday after a photograph of the alleged assault started circulating online. The accused, Madhusudhan Reddy, allegedly beat the minor with his hands after pinning him to the ground and tying his legs and hands together with a rope.

According to the police, the boy had jumped over a compound wall to enter the farm to pluck a pomegranate when Madhusudhan saw him. He then allegedly assaulted him and threatened him by tying him up. As soon as the 14-year-old’s mother learnt of the incident, she filed a complaint with the Shabad police station. “The boy’s parents are labourers and belong to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community whereas the old man is a Reddy,” the police said.

When asked about the medical condition of the boy, the police, however, maintained that he was not severely injured. Based on the complaint, the Shabad police registered a case against Madhusudhan under the SC/ST Atrocities Act.