The two-month long public furore, fuelled by apprehensions about the movements of the Parthi gang and child-lifters, is gradually dissipating in the tail-end Chittoor district, after the police became alert following the lynching of a mentally challenged youth on April 28, with attackers mistaking him for a child-lifter and a member of the gang.
Hundreds of villages, particularly along the TN border from Satyavedu and Kuppam, had been on the edge since March, with the police department personnel warning the public through the social media to be cautious about the “movements” of the Parthi gang. Even after the commotion is over by now, a big confusion prevails among the public between the Parthi gang and kidnappers. They strongly believe that both are one and the same, though the Parthi gang’s modus operandi is dacoity in the most violent manner when faced with resistance.
In this backdrop, the mentally challenged was killed by some youth of Obanapalle village on Chittoor town outskirts. Considered one of the most cruel incidents, the attackers who were on an unauthorised night patrolling, had noticed the youth moving on the Chittoor-Bengaluru bypass road on April 27 night. The youth, growing suspicious over his incoherent speech, cornered him, beat black and blue and handed him over to the police, saying he was moving in their locality in search of infants.
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The police after a thorough observation were convinced that he was mentally challenged. He was given first aid, served with food and was let off on the same night. Unfortunately, he was moving in the same locality the next night. Some youth took him with them, served him liquor and had beaten him to death. Four days later, the Chittoor urban police took four youth into custody.
About half a dozen incidents of the public attacking migrant dwellers were witnessed in the eastern mandals of Varadaiahpalem and Satyavedu. In all incidents, the police had to intervene and rescue the victims.
Another mentally challenged youth in tattered clothes was cornered by the stick-wielding youth at Sankranthi Palle village of Bangarupalem mandal near Chittoor in the same month. He was beaten ruthlessly yet again because of his incoherent speech and gestures. He was branded a child-lifter, tied to a pole and was about to be lynched. Fortunately, a patrol team from the Bangarupalem police rushed to the spot and rescued the victim, who was shifted to the area hospital for first aid and was given food and clothes.
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In another case, a mentally disturbed woman was rescued from public frenzy at Bhakarapet by the police. Also in April, a youth from Odisha was “nabbed” by the patrolling youngsters at Battalavalam village of Varadaiahpalem mandal. He was tied to a tree and almost lynched when the local police rescued him.
In recent weeks, the police had strictly warned the youth in the rural areas to stay away from “night vigil” and not to wield sticks and cricket bats. They were not to take law into their hands but inform the police immediately if they find strangers.
Referring to the mob psychology, a senior police official said these incidents happened for the prime reason that the public fail to control their emotions when it came to protecting their life and property. “Some youth think it a fad to undertake unauthorised vigil at nights, as though they are doing a socially responsible thing, and this would definitely bring them into limelight locally,” he said.
S.V. Rajasekhar Babu, SP, said the incidence of kidnapping and missing cases involving children was effectively tackled by the police.
According to official figures, 14 cases of kidnapping of children (below 18) were reported between 2016-18. While 12 children were traced, two cases are under investigation.
Similarly, 217 cases of girl-children (below 18) going missing were reported between 2016-18, of which 191 cases were traced. Coming to boys, the number of missing stood at 48 during the same period, of whom 42 were traced.