On December 7, 2024, Annamayya district in Andhra Pradesh became the backdrop for a brutal vigilante killing, raising stark questions about the efficacy of law enforcement and the limits of justice.
Anjaneya Prasad, a 37-year-old immigrant worker from Kuwait, killed a 59-year-old physically disabled man, Gutta Anjaneyulu, for allegedly molesting his 12-year-old daughter.
Prasad, driven by anger and frustration over what he called police negligence, later confessed to the crime in a viral video.
A complaint ignored, a family shattered
Prasad and his wife, Chandrakala, left for Kuwait to earn a livelihood, entrusting their daughter’s care to Chandrakala’s younger sister, Lakshmi, and her husband, Venkataramana.
The family’s stability was upended when the child revealed to her mother that Anjaneyulu, Venkataramana’s father, had molested her during their absence.
Distressed by the revelation, Chandrakala rushed back to Kothamangampeta to confront her sister and filed a police complaint.
Despite the gravity of the allegations, authorities reportedly issued only a warning to the accused, a response that left the family feeling unprotected and disillusioned.
This inaction proved to be the tipping point for Prasad, who traveled from Kuwait to the village on December 7.
Consumed by rage, he attacked Anjaneyulu with an iron rod, killing him on the spot.
Prasad immediately fled the village and returned to Kuwait, leaving local police scrambling to investigate what they initially labeled a “suspicious death.”
The confession that shook the nation
On December 11, Prasad released a video message from Kuwait, admitting to the murder and accusing the police of failing to protect his daughter.
“I had no other choice,” he declared in the video, his voice heavy with anguish.
“The police did nothing when my daughter’s life was ruined. This is the only way I could ensure justice for her.”
Prasad expressed his readiness to surrender, but his words also laid bare the desperation of a father who felt abandoned by a system meant to safeguard the vulnerable. The video went viral, igniting public outrage over both the crime and the circumstances that led to it.
Police inaction under scrutiny
Critics have been quick to call out the local authorities for their inadequate response to the molestation complaint.
“A warning? Is that what a 12-year-old victim gets for protection?” questioned a child rights activist.
The lack of a thorough investigation or preventive measures raises serious concerns about law enforcement’s ability or willingness to prioritize cases of child sexual abuse.
The case has exposed systemic failures, with activists and legal experts condemning the police’s apparent negligence.
“This was a preventable tragedy,” said a former police officer.
“Had the complaint been taken seriously, a life could have been spared, and justice could have followed its rightful course.”
Public reaction: Sympathy, outrage, and moral questions
The incident has divided public opinion.
While many sympathize with Prasad, viewing his actions as the desperate act of a father seeking justice in a broken system, others warn of the dangers of vigilantism.
“This sets a dangerous precedent,” said a lawyer.
“When people lose faith in the law, society descends into chaos.”
Social media has been flooded with heated debates, with some praising Prasad as a hero who took a stand when the system failed him, and others emphasizing the importance of the rule of law.
“If everyone starts taking the law into their own hands, where does it end?” asked one user.
Justice or vengeance?
This case is not merely a story of one man’s quest for justice; it is a mirror reflecting the deep flaws in India’s child protection and law enforcement systems. Was Prasad a grieving father pushed to the brink by police negligence, or did he cross a line that no one should breach, regardless of the circumstances?
