TRUMALA: Months after a student was sexually harassed at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD)’s Vedapatasala, yet another such disturbing incident has come to light. This time, a 12-year-old boy was allegedly molested by two of his seniors for a week after which he went into depression. According to TTD Joint Executive Officer (Tirumala) KS Srinivasa Raju, the student, whose parents stay in Tirupati, fell ill and took leave from July 28. He was subsequently hospitalised. A day after his recovery, he informed his mother of the sexual harassment.

The JEO said the culprits had been identified as a 13-year-old from Nellore and Sudarshan (16) from Guntur. The students, who were pursuing the Smartha course, have been expelled from the school. The duo had allegedly tried to attack the 12-year-old with a blade when he resisted their advances.

According to sources, the victim went into depression after he was harassed by his seniors for a week. The boy took the matter to the notice of a teacher who helped him get leave and go home.

After his admission in the hospital with high fever, the Vedapatasala principal decided to take up the matter with the TTD officials and accordingly, informed the JEO who passed on the information to the Executive Officer.The JEO said the committee that was formed to look into a similar incident earlier was slated to meet soon and would discuss measures to eliminate abnormal behaviour at school.

“I myself spoke to the Tirupati urban SP N Prabhakar and 14 persons are on the job, keeping a vigil on the students in the Vedapatasala but unfortunately this has happened,’’ he said.

“I visited the Vedapatasala and there is a proposal to shift the school to another area,’’ Tirupati urban SP N Prabhakar said.

A case will be registered shortly. The 12-year-old boy, a native of Kodad in Nalgonda district, joined the Vedapatasala for a 12-year-course in Yajurveda.