Police on Tuesday arrested a youth for allegedly thrashing his friend in full public view at a farm near Vedayapalem on the outskirts of the city, after a video of the incident went viral on social media.
Superintendent of Police Bhaskar Bhushan told The Hindu that the incident was not related to cricket betting, as was initially reported in a section of the media.
The accused was identified as Rajasekhar.
Police said that Rajasekhar was once involved in a car collision with another man, identified as Yugender Reddy. Rajasekhar’s car was badly damaged in the mishap, Nellore Deputy Superintendent of Police J. Srinivas Reddy told reporters.
Rajasekhar then allegedly demanded ₹70,000 from Yugender to pay for the repairs. However, after Yugender failed to pay him the money, Rajasekhar and an accomplice took Yugender to a secluded place near Vedayapalem on November 12 last year where Rajasekhar began assaulting him. Rajasekhar’s friend shot a video of the incident on his mobile phone, and the video later surfaced on social media a year later.
On Tuesday, police took cognizance of the offence and registered cases in Nellore I Town police station and also within Nellore Rural police station limits.
A case under IPC Section 341 (wrongful restraint) and 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) was registered against the duo in Nellore I Town.
The duo had also been booked under IPC Section 307 (attempt to murder) by Nellore (Rural) police, Nellore (Rural) DSP Y. Harinath Reddy said. A detailed probe was launched into the incident which had not come to light earlier as the victim had not approached the police, he said.
Earlier, some media reports showed a youth reportedly having links to a betting syndicate assaulting another youth for allegedly not paying him the betting amount. The latter was seen repeatedly pleading with the assailant to spare him. The two incidents are unrelated, police said.
