Chennai: The brutal attack on a 20-year-old youth from Odisha aboard a suburban train by four teenagers in Tiruvallur district was not motivated by his out-of-state origins, the Tamil Nadu police stated, dismissing suggestions of targeted hostility toward migrants.
During a press conference, Inspector General of Police (North Zone) Asra Garg clarified on Tuesday that preliminary investigations indicate the incident stemmed from a personal dispute. “The juveniles questioned him for staring at them, and the incident escalated from there,” Garg said, adding that probes into possible substance abuse by the assailants are underway.
He further stated that the victim, identified as K Suraj, has been discharged from the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital here and has returned to Odisha. He was not employed anywhere but had been residing in Tamil Nadu for the past two months and had been a regular on the Chennai-Tiruttani EMU trains.
The incident took place when Suraj was traveling in the general compartment of a Chennai-Tiruttani EMU local train on December 27 and four ‘intoxicated’ 17-year-old juveniles, carrying sickles, boarded at Tiruvalangadu station. One of them initiated a conversation with Suraj in Hindi, suspecting the latter of staring at them. It escalated into an argument after the juvenile allegedly placed a sickle on his neck, prompting him to object. The juveniles all
egedly forced Suraj to disembark at Tiruttani station and accompany them to nearby abandoned railway quarters, where he was attacked him with sharp weapons, causing head, hand and facial injuries.
The incident later went viral on social media.
All four juveniles, described as school dropouts and children in conflict with the law, were apprehended near Gangai Amman temple on the Tiruttani-Arakkonam bypass, where they were allegedly consuming alcohol. They were produced before the Juvenile Justice Board, charged with attempt to murder, with three remanded to a observation home in Chengalpattu and one released to parental custody.
Meanwhile, the Odisha government has deputed an officer to the southern state to conduct a probe.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi also strongly condemned the assault.“The Chief Minister has taken immediate cognisance of the inhumane attack on an Odia youth in Tamil Nadu and expressed deep concern. Such a barbaric attack on an innocent Odia boy is strongly condemnable,” the chief minister’s office (CMO) posted on X.
The CMO further stated: “The Odisha government has taken this incident very seriously and is in constant touch with the Tamil Nadu administration. All necessary steps are being taken at the administrative level to ensure the victim receives the best treatment and that the culprits face strict punishment.”
Reaffirming its commitment to the welfare of Odias outside the state, the CMO added: “The safety and self-respect of all Odias are paramount. Our government is committed to protecting every Odia brother and sister working beyond the state’s borders.”
Earlier, Odisha BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal had accused the DMK government of protecting criminals and failing to provide security to people even in public places.