KASARAGOD: The Hozdurg police on Monday registered a case against four Plus-II students for physically assaulting their batch mate for his non-participation in the Holi celebration, which was on March 23. The victim Nived K P, from Chemmattamvayal, Hosdurg in Balla village, is a science student at GHSS Madikai (first) near Kanhangad.
The accused are Shivanandhu, of Vadakaramukk in Ajanur, Vivek, of Ballikoth in Ajanur, and two identifiable persons residing in Ajanur, all commerce students of the same school.
The incident occurred around 1pm when the victim was waiting at the bus shelter near their school to return home.
“Commerce students attacked him after he declined to take part in the Holi celebration. They approached him while he was waiting at the bus shelter, took him aside and physically assaulted him, resulting in a jaw injury. He received initial treatment at Kanhangad Government Hospital and was later referred to Government Medical College, Kannur. Currently, he is being administered glucose as he is unable to consume food due to his injury,” said Rekha V V, Nived’s mother.
The police registered a case against the students under IPC sections 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 34 (criminal activity done by several people in furtherance of the common interest).
A police officer said, “We have started investigating into the incident. No weapons were used during the attack. We doubt whether the motive for the assault was the victim not participating in the Holi celebration. We suspect that he was attacked for some other reason. We have asked the school’s anti-ragging squad for a report.”