A nine-year-old Konda Reddi tribal boy was found dead with external injuries allegedly after he was abducted by two masked men from the Tribal Welfare Ashram Hostel at P. Ramannagudem under Buttayagudem police limits in Eluru district. The Konda Reddi tribe is a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in Andhra Pradesh.
The incident occurred around Monday night while G. Akhil was sleeping along with other boarders. The boy is studying Class IV in the Ashram Hostel cum School and a native of Urranki village in Eluru district.
The Buttayagudem police said the boy was found dead with multiple external injuries on the school campus, which is opposite the hostel.
“On Monday midnight, two masked men reportedly entered the hostel block and abducted the boy,” K.R. Puram Integrated Tribal Development Agency Project Officer G. Srinu Kumar said.
“The watchman on duty was not present in the hostel as per the preliminary report. The head master of the Ashram School, deputy warden, and watchman have been suspended on charges of security lapses at the hostel campus”, Mr. Srinu said. The suspended staff has been identified as Head Master M.C.H Ganga Raju, warden K Srinivas and watchman M. Rajesh.
The police have registered a case. A post-mortem has been performed at Jangareddigudem government hospital.
“The investigation is still on. The boarders have confirmed the entry of two men into the hostel block and the abduction of the victim. We are yet to get any clue,” Eluru Range Deputy Inspector General G.V.G. Ashok Kumar said.
On Tuesday, tribal people staged a protest in front of the hostel on the security lapses at the Ashram hostel and demanded the suspension of the officials concerned.
