18-year-old college student assaulted by group of unidentified men in TN; probe under way

TIRUNELVELI (Tamil Nadu): An 18-year-old college student from Tirunelveli was allegedly assaulted by a group of unidentified persons on Wednesday evening after being lured to a location by a social media contact, police said.

According to a police, the victim identified as Chinnadurai, a first-year B.Com student, left his residence around 6.15 pm after informing his mother that he would meet a friend in Palayamkottai.

At approximately 7.30 pm, he called his mother using the mobile phone of an unknown person and informed her that he had been attacked near the District Science Centre.

Police personnel rushed to the location and found Chinnadurai with a minor injury on his right hand. He was immediately taken to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital in an 108 ambulance for treatment. The police have launched a detailed investigation into the matter and formed a special team to trace the culprits.

During preliminary questioning, Chinnadurai told police that he had gone to Vasantham Nagar near Kokkarikulam after receiving a message from a friend he met on the social media platform Instagram. The victim mentioned that upon reaching the area, he was confronted by four unidentified persons who demanded money.

When Chinnadurai said he had no cash, the attackers allegedly assaulted him with a stick and fled with his mobile phone, police said. Chinnadurai said he could not remember either his username or the email credentials linked to the account, cops added.

It is pertinent to mention that, in 2023, Chinnadurai had reportedly been assaulted by members of a dominant caste, an incident that drew significant attention in Tamil Nadu. The fresh assault has sparked concerns, prompting authorities to constitute a special team to investigate the matter and apprehend the accused. (ANI)