The Chittoor rural police on Monday morning took four youth into custody on charges of intimidating a sheep-rearing couple and taking away a mobile and an ATM card from them on the outskirts of Chittoor on August 3. Addressing a press meet here, Deputy Superintendent of Police Eeshwar Reddy said that Gurappa (47) and his spouse, natives of Somavaram village of Sambepalle mandal of Kadapa district, earn their livelihood by rearing sheep, moving from one place to the other. On August 3 evening, they were on the job at the roadside fields near Penumuru Cross, on Chittoor outskirts.
Four youth, who were consuming liquor at an abandoned agriculture well nearby, came to them and threatened them to part with a sheep, saying that the couple had trespassed into their fields.
When the couple resisted their move to take away an animal from them, the youth took away the mobile phone of Gurappa’s spouse.
When the frightened couple tried to leave the fields, one of the youth forcibly took Gurappa on a motorbike, saying his mobile would be returned to him. Taking him to an isolated location, the youth took away an ATM card, besides knowing the PIN after assaulting him.
Following a complaint from the couple, the rural police took up investigation. On Monday morning, the youth were nabbed while they were consuming liquor at the same well, where the couple was attacked.
The youth, who all belong to the localities on Chittoor outskirts, were identified as Jyothish Kumar, Praveen Kumar, Ravi Kumar and Jashwant in their late 20s. Along with the robbed mobile, the police also seized ₹2,500 and the ATM card from them. A case has been registered.
