Four 17-year-old boys have been produced before the Juvenile Justice Board in Tamil Nadu for allegedly attacking a migrant worker with a sickle and posting videos of the assault on social media. Police said the teenagers, who were reportedly intoxicated, attacked the victim after an argument on a suburban train between Chennai and Tiruttani in Tiruvallur district.
The incident occurred on the evening of December 26. A video clip showing the group repeatedly assaulting the victim was uploaded on Instagram and has since circulated widely on social media. Police identified the victim as Suraj, a 34-year-old worker from Kolhapur district in Maharashtra .
According to police, the boys boarded the train at Thiruvalangadu railway station near Arakkonam. “One of the boys approached Suraj, who was in the general compartment, and asked whether they could place a sickle on his neck to record their reel,” said an officer. “That led to an argument, after which three boys attacked him on his head, arms and legs, while the fourth filmed the assault. The boys later dragged him to an abandoned railway quarters nearby and continued the attack. They were intoxicated.”
Suraj reportedly lost consciousness and was later found by bystanders, who helped him reach a local government hospital. He was given first aid before being transferred to the Tiruvallur Government Medical College Hospital, where he remains under treatment. “His condition is stable,” the officer said.
{{/usCountry}}Suraj reportedly lost consciousness and was later found by bystanders, who helped him reach a local government hospital. He was given first aid before being transferred to the Tiruvallur Government Medical College Hospital, where he remains under treatment. “His condition is stable,” the officer said.
{{/usCountry}}Police said the juveniles, all residents of Nemili near Tiruttani and in conflict with the law, allegedly shared the assault footage online to gain attention. Acting on a public alert, police personnel located the victim and registered a case based on his complaint. Surveillance footage from cameras near the station, along with the clips posted online, helped identify the attackers. All four boys were apprehended and sent to a government observation home in Chengalpattu district as investigations continue.
Opposition parties criticised the state government over the incident. AIADMK general secretary and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami said it reflected a complete breakdown of law and order under the DMK regime led by Chief Minister M K Stalin. “This shows the dangerous environment created by the Stalin model of governance, where there is rampant drug abuse and violence,” Palaniswami said.
Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai also blamed the government, alleging that easy access to narcotics and weapons and political propaganda against migrant workers had worsened the situation. “The DMK government should be held accountable for turning a once orderly state into a jungle raj,” he said.