After forcing an eight-year-old boy to work for him, a dhaba owner allegedly beat him to death in Venkellapalem in Chillakuru mandal on Sunday night.
According to police, the accused Y Murali Reddy had thrashed the boy, Venkateswarlu in his anger over some minor issue. The hapless boy collapsed and later died, after which Reddy escaped.
The boy’s death came to light only on Monday morning when his father, T Subba Rao, having got some indications from villagers that his son had been beaten up, went looking for him at the dhaba. Seeing his son’s body there, an inconsolable Subba Rao, along with some villagers, ransacked the dhaba.
Police said, Subba Rao also used to work for Murali Reddy. He had earlier taken a loan of `12,000 from his employer, in lieu of which the employer demanded that he sent his son to work.