‘I have never killed an ant, why would I beat a boy?’ – Praveen Kumar denies beating neighbour and his son

"He thrashed me and pushed my son," Praveen Kumar's neighbour Deepak Sharma said.

Former India cricketer Praveen Kumar has been in the headlines on Sunday for the wrong reasons. He has been accused of beating up his neighbour Deepak Sharma and manhandling his seven-year-old son. The victim’s hand has been fractured in the brawl as well and the police are investigating the matter at the moment. However, Kumar has denied the charges clearly stating that Deepak thrashed him on Saturday evening.

According to Sharma, the cricketer’s neighbour, he was waiting at the bus stop around 3 PM for his son. When the bus driver stopped the bus to drop the child, Praveen Kumar arrived at the scene and started honking to move the bus aside. Reportedly, he came out of his car irked and involved in an altercation with the driver for blocking the road.

When Deepak Sharma got involved, the verbal altercation turned physical with the cricketer beating up his neighbour and also manhandling the minor. “I was waiting for my son at the bus stop at 3 pm on Saturday. Kumar came in his car and started abusing the bus driver first and later abused me. He was in an inebriated state. He thrashed me and pushed my son. I have fractured my hand,” Deepak had said.

Praveen Kumar gives a statement

However, Praveen Kumar, while speaking to the media, has refuted all the charges stating that he has never killed an ant and there is no reason for him to beat up a small boy. “I was an international cricketer. I have two kids — a daughter and a son. I have never killed an ant then why would I beat a boy? The boy and his father Deepak Sharma, who is my neighbour, thrashed me up when I alighted from my car last evening (Saturday) near my home,” he was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Meanwhile, the superintendent of police (SP) Akhilesh Narayan had earlier informed that the investigation in the matter is in progress. “Both of them are neighbours and they have informed the police about the incident. We are investigating the matter based on their statements. Further action will be taken accordingly. The medical procedure has also been done,” he had said.

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