Authorities in Madanapalle have initiated a comprehensive investigation into a deeply disturbing incident where a 12-year-old student tragically lost sight in one eye. The boy was allegedly assaulted by a non-teaching staff member at his school, reportedly due to an outstanding school fee payment.
While this horrific event took place in the first week of September, it only gained public attention recently after the boy’s parents bravely stepped forward, demanding the immediate arrest of the individual responsible for their son’s life-altering injury.
The shocking incident unfolded at Rishi Vatika Gurukulam, located in Gattu village, close to B. Kothakota in Annamayya district’s Tamballapalle Assembly constituency. Officials have since revealed that this institution operates without official government recognition, raising further questions about its operations and oversight.
The young victim has been identified as Konda Seshadri Reddy, a Class 5 student who resides in Kaladivandla Palle village within the Lakkireddypalle mandal.
Disturbing accounts suggest that a non-teaching staff member named Venkatesh allegedly struck the boy with a stone during a dispute over an unpaid school fee of ₹1 lakh. The brutal attack resulted in a severe injury to Seshadri’s right eye, causing him to collapse in a pool of blood. Instead of immediately informing his parents, the school staff reportedly sought private medical attention for the unconscious boy before eventually transferring him to Aravind Eye Hospital in Tirupati.
It was at Aravind Eye Hospital that the parents received the devastating news: doctors confirmed severe retina damage, leading to the permanent loss of vision in one of their son’s eyes.
Despite the gravity of the situation, the parents’ struggle for justice began when they filed a complaint at B. Kottakota police station on September 14th, a full week after the assault. They claim that local police initially hesitated to register their complaint and appeared to favor the school’s administration.
Addressing the media in Madanapalle, the parents voiced their profound distress over the lack of arrests to date. They condemned the perceived inaction from both the police and Education Department officials, highlighting that they have escalated their complaints to the Superintendent of Police (Annamayya district), the Director General of Police, the Home Minister, the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in their relentless pursuit of justice.
Adding to their ordeal, the parents revealed that during their fight for justice, a high-ranking police official attempted to forcibly remove their son from their home under the guise of an ‘inquiry.’ The attempt was thwarted only after strong resistance from their vigilant neighbors.
District Educational Officer K. Subramanyam confirmed to reporters on Thursday that “The school involved in this case operates without government recognition, functioning as an unauthorized institution akin to home tuitions.” He added, “Our inquiry has confirmed that the police have registered an FIR and are actively investigating. Furthermore, the District Collector has initiated a separate inquiry, which is being led by the Sub-Collector of Madanapalle.”