Not one but 2 boys were sexually abused

TIRUMALA: It was not one but two victims of sexual harassment in the latest incident at the TTD-run Vedapathasala at Dharmagiri here. And, the number of accused is also more _ three and not two as presumed earlier.Apart from the abuse of a 12-year-old boy, which was reported in these columns on Wednesday, another of his classmates was also subjected to sexual abuse by seniors Muralikrishna, Sudarshan and Sai Teja. The latter two are in the fourth year of a course in Smarta.The two boys had allegedly been harassed and molested for a week before the first victim managed to get leave with the help of his teacher. When he went home on July 28 he suffered from high fever. After recovering from fever, he told his mother what had happened at the school. The boy’s parents lodged a complaint with the school principal who, in turn, brought it to the notice of TTD higher officials and lodged a complaint with Tirumala DSP RN Sharma.According to police, cases were registered against the three accused under the Ragging Prevention Act, Sec 377 of IPC for engaging in unnatural sexual act and under Sec 4 of IPC.TTD officials said the accused were expelled from the Vedapathasala after the incident came to the notice of TTD JEO KS Srinivasa Raju. Following a similar incident in the same institution some months ago, TTD specified authority had formed a committee headed by JEO to look into it and ensure such incidents do not recur.