Chennai: Man tonsured, limbs branded with hot iron in front of kin

CHENNAI: An apology will not always get you out of trouble, a 20-year-old youth at Nammalwarpet learnt to his cost on Sunday night. He ended up with his head tonsured and hands and legs branded with a hot iron.
The trouble for Vasanthkumar, 20, of K H Road at Nammalwarpet started on February 4 when his neighbour Devaraj, a house painter, slapped him for creating a ruckus in the neighbourhood in a drunken state. A few days later, Vasanthakumar, who earns a living playing a percussion instrument at funerals, attacked Devaraj with a log injuring his hand.
Police said Devaraj's sons - Arunraj, 20, and Vimalraj, 19 - were upset about the attack on their father and decided to take revenge. Meanwhile Vasanthakumar's mother scolded him for attacking Devaraj and insisted he apologise.
When he hesitated, she forced Vasanthakumar and his wife to accompany her to Devaraj's house on Sunday night. However, Devaraj's sons refused to accept Vasanthakumar's apology and assaulted and tied him up. They then tonsured his head and heated an iron and branded his hands and legs. Two of their friends used a knife to inflict injuries on Vasanthakumar. His mother and wife pleaded with the assailants to let him go and managed to take Vasanthakumar home.
Vasanthakumar's family decided not to lodge any complaint with the police. But Secretariat Colony police learnt of the incident visited Vasanthakumar's house and recorded his statement, based on which, a case was registered and six people were arrested.
They were Devaraj, 48, his wife, Elizabeth, 44, his sons, Arunraj and Vimalraj, and their friends, W Prasanth, 19, and M Daniel, 19. All six were remanded in judicial custody on Monday and Vasanthakumar was admitted to the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital for treatment.