Six arrested for beating 17-year-old to death in Govt. Special Home for Boys in Chengalpattu

Inquiries found that the staff had thrashed the boy, claiming he had abused them and misbehaved, says Chengalpattu SP A. Pradeep

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The Chengalpattu Town Police on Friday arrested a Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent and four other staff of Government Special Home for Boys in Chengalpattu on charges of murdering a 17-year-old juvenile in conflict with the law.

The teenager was allegedly beaten to death in the home meant for children in conflict with the law last month. Later, he was admitted to hospital by the home’s staff, stating that he had collapsed due to ill health.

The arrested persons are Superintendent S. Mohan, 30; assistant superintendent P. Vidyasagar, 33; wardens D. Vijayakumar, 30 and M. Saranraj, 36; house master R. Chandrababu, 35; and barber Augustin Raj, 29.

They were booked on charges of murder and remanded to judicial custody.

Police sources said that on December 30 evening, Railway Protection Force, Tambaram secured the youngster as he was allegedly involved in a theft. He was produced before the district child welfare committee and sent to the special home on the same night.

The next evening, two staff of the special home took him to the Government General Hospital, Chengalpattu, stating that the boy had suffered a seizure and fell unconscious.

The doctors declared him as brought dead. Following information from the hospital, a case was registered for suspicious death. The boy’s mother alleged foul play in the death.

Judicial Magistrate-I, Chengalpattu, conducted an inquiry into the death and after the completion of post-mortem by a team of doctors, the boy’s body was handed over to his mother on January 3 and cremated.

On receipt of a report from the judicial magistrate on January 1 and based on the post-mortem report which disclosed that the body bore marks of injuries, Chengalpattu Superintendent of Police A. Pradeep ordered an inquiry by a Deputy Superintendent of Police.

“Our inquiries revealed that the staff have beaten the boy, claiming that he had abused and misbehaved with them. The inmates also confirmed what had transpired. Based on strong evidence, we have arrested six staff of the home and remanded them,” Mr. Pradeep told The Hindu.

A report on the arrest was forwarded to the director of the Social Defence Department.