ONGOLE: Acting on the recent directives of the High Court, authorities have initiated a fresh probe into the 1suspicious death of Class VI student Shaik Sayyad Toushik.
Following the court’s order, the State government appointed Nellore Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ch Sowjanya as the new Investigation Officer. She began the reinvestigation on Saturday by visiting a private school and a residential hostel at Singarayakonda, where the boy died under suspicious circumstances on Feb 14.
Earlier, police had concluded that Toushik died by suicide, stating that no strong evidence was found to establish it as a case of murder. However, the boy’s parents consistently challenged this conclusion, alleging foul play. They claimed that Toushik was assaulted and murdered by the school correspondent’s son and the hostel warden.
The family also accused the police of colluding with the accused and attempting to portray the incident as a suicide under external influence. Dissatisfied with the initial investigation, they approached the High Court seeking justice and a fair probe into the incident.
After hearing the case in detail, the High Court observed that the parents’ concerns could not be brushed aside as baseless. It directed the State to appoint a new Investigation Officer of ASP rank and ordered a fresh, impartial probe into the case.
As there is no officer of ASP rank in Prakasam district, the authorities appointed the Nellore ASP to handle the reinvestigation.
During her visit to Singarayakonda, ASP Sowjanya inspected the school and hostel premises and interacted with the management, including the correspondent, teachers, and hostel warden.