KADAPA: A Dalit boy was thrashed and set afire by sprinkling petrol on his face by five youngsters at Onipenta in Mydukur mandal for allegedly stealing and consuming liquor that the accused had stocked. Additional Superintendent of Police M Devaprasad on Monday said, the boy went to a tea shop in the village on Sunday night. Alleging that he stole the liquor stocked by them and consumed it, the quintet picked an argument with the boy.
Though the boy denied the allegation of stealing liquor bottles, the quintet thrashed him with motorcycle wires. In an apparent attempt to kill him, one of the accused drew petrol from the motorcycle, sprinkled it on his face and set him afire,’’ the Additional SP said. A youth, who was present at the place, tried to prevent the five accused from setting the boy afire. But he was overpowered by the quintet, he said.