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Thursday, Sep 18, 2008
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Correspondent held on murder charge

Staff Reporter

Nizamabad police unravel mystery behind schoolboy’s brutal killing

NIZAMABAD: The mystery that shrouded the murder of a 12-year-old boy Patrolla Mahesh in a classroom at his school New Priyadarshini Residential High School here on September 8 midnight was unravelled by the police by arresting the school Correspondent Nirmala Prakash.

After eight days of investigation and examination of 10 persons, the accused was arrested and produced before the court.

He was later sent to the Government Hospital for treatment as he complained to the court that he was sick, according to Deputy IG of Police K. Rajaratnam Naidu.

The incident created a sensation across the State as the victim Mahesh, son of Patrolla Sailoo of Kunepally in Renjal mandal, was found charred to death in the school where he was studying in Class VII. Irate students ransacked the school leading to lathicharge by police the following day.

Giving details at a press conference here on Wednesday, the DIG said the Fourth Town police registered a case under Section 302 and 201 IPC. An investigation was launched under the supervision of Deputy SP S. Muralidhar.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Prakash had an eye on kitchen assistant-cum-ayah Radha. On the fateful midnight, Prakash knocked the room where she was sleeping along with hostel girls and took her to a classroom on the first floor. However, they heard a noise and found Mahesh approaching them.

Immediately, Radha came down and after a while Prakash followed suit and asked her to fetch a matchbox. In the wee hours the following day, she discovered that Prakash had killed Mahesh. A matchbox, two used matchsticks, a bottle smelling of kerosene, a plastic bucket and burnt clothes were recovered from the place of murder.

Radha who was produced before mediapersons, said Prakash had been harassing her for sexual favours for one-and-a-half years since she joined the school.

“He even threatened to kill my son who is studying in Class I and remove me from job.”

Forensic report

Whether the boy was strangulated to death or burnt after strangulation could be ascertained only after receiving report of the Forensic Science Lab, said the Deputy IG. The police would seek custody of the accused for further investigation, if necessary, he added.

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