Residents of a Hyderabad housing complex thrashed a tea vendor to death for allegedly molesting a 9-year-old girl. Police have registered a POCSO case.
A 55-year-old tea vendor was beaten to death by residents of a housing complex in Kulsumpura, Hyderabad, for allegedly molesting a nine-year-old girl on Thursday evening.
The accused, whose wife had deserted him, lived with his mother in a flat in the complex, which houses around 80 families. The child was sitting on a parked two-wheeler in the society's parking lot around 3pm when the accused approached her and struck up a conversation.
Kulsumpura ACP V Tirupathi said the accused touched the child inappropriately on the pretext of buying her chocolates. A neighbour noticed this and confronted him, after which he quickly left the spot.
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Residents Checked CCTV Footage Before Attacking
Seeing the child's distressed condition, the neighbour alerted her family. Residents later checked CCTV footage and concluded that the accused had molested the minor. The accused returned to the complex around 6.30pm, allegedly inebriated.
Angry family members and other residents thrashed him. Around 7pm, police received a call and rushed to the spot. Cops shifted the accused to Kulsumpura police station, where a 108 ambulance was called. Police registered a POCSO case based on a complaint by the girl's family.
While being shifted to hospital, the accused complained of uneasiness. He was taken to Osmania General Hospital, where he succumbed to internal injuries during treatment.
The tea vendor's mother filed a counter-complaint, alleging her son died of injuries sustained in the assault. Cops registered a case under BNS Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder). Police are waiting for the post-mortem report and will scan CCTV footage to identify the attackers.
