Bapatla district in Andhra Pradesh was left in shock after the gruesome murder of U Amarnath, a 15-year-old class student who was set on fire on Friday. The Bapatla police while investigating the case, have arrested three individuals, including 20-year-old Pamu Venkateshwar Reddy, who is believed to have sought revenge on the victim for admonishing him over his stalking of Amarnath's 17-year-old sister. The Bapatla Superintendent of Police (SP), Vakul Jindal, confirmed that a fourth accused is currently at large.
According to the police, Amarnath's elder sister, a student of Geetham Junior College in Ponnapalli village, became a target of harassment by Venkateshwar Reddy. When Amarnath discovered the distressing situation, he informed his family, leading to the news spreading across the village. This public humiliation seemed to have deeply affected Reddy.
On Friday morning, Reddy shared his plan to harm Amarnath with two accomplices, 25-year-old Pamu Gopi Reddy and 20-year-old Madella Veera Babu, along with another unidentified person. Venkateshwar Reddy carried out the ambush in Rajavolu village of Cherukupalli mandal, pouring petrol on the victim and setting him ablaze. As Amarnath cried out in agony, the assailants fled the scene.
A nearby resident named Donthiboyina Rama Murthy Reddy heard the victim's screams and rushed to his aid. Amarnath, in his last moments, revealed the horrifying details of the incident. The victim's relatives quickly transported him to Dr. Prasad and Ganesh Hospital in Gullapalli village. However, due to the severity of his injuries, he was transferred to Government General Hospital Guntur, where he tragically succumbed to his injuries at 10:07 am.
The Vemuru Circle Inspector initiated the investigation and subsequently handed over the deceased's body to his grieving family. The three accused individuals were apprehended on Saturday morning at 9:30 am. Earlier, Bapatla SP stated that Venkateshwar Reddy has been charged with murder and stalking under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act.