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The Tiruttani Town police on Sunday, December 28, apprehended four juveniles for attacking a youth from Odisha with sickles and filming the assault near the Old Railway Quarters in Tiruttani.
The victim has been identified as K Suraj, a native of Odisha, who had recently come to Chennai following a family dispute. Police said his age is yet to be ascertained.
The incident occurred on Saturday, December 27, while Suraj was travelling in the general compartment of a Chennai-Tiruttani EMU local train. Four juveniles, all aged 17, reportedly boarded the train at Tiruvalangadu in an intoxicated state. Police said they were carrying two sickles concealed in their bags and intended to record Instagram reels.
According to the police, one of the juveniles initiated a conversation with Suraj in Hindi, which soon escalated into an argument. The altercation continued until the train reached Tiruttani station.
After alighting at Tiruttani, the group allegedly forced Suraj to accompany them to the abandoned railway quarters nearby. Three of the juveniles attacked him with sickles, inflicting cut injuries on his head, hands, and face, while the fourth recorded the assault on a mobile phone before fleeing the scene.
Suraj, who reportedly lost consciousness, later managed to reach the main road, where passersby noticed him and alerted the police. He was initially taken to the Tiruttani Government Hospital and subsequently referred to the Tiruvallur Government Medical College Hospital for further treatment. His condition is said to be stable.
Based on a tip-off and the assault video circulating on social media, the police traced the juveniles to the Gangai Amman temple near the Tiruttani-Arakkonam bypass, where they were allegedly consuming alcohol. Preliminary inquiries revealed that all four are school dropouts.
A case has been registered against them on charges of attempt to murder and criminal intimidation. The juveniles were produced before authorities and sent to the Government Observation Home in Chengalpattu on Sunday.