Ganesan and Chitra of Vaniyambadi, who worked as coolies, would leave their son Satish (13) a Class 6 student with Chitra’s father Velu when they went to work as they would return only late in the evening.

On Wednesday, wanting money to buy liquor, Velu and his friend Balan decided to steal the silver waist cord of Satish. They took the boy to an isolated spot and attempted to remove the cord. When Satish resisted, both of them strangled him and in the impact the boy fainted. Both the men thought that he was dead and so after removing the waist cord, they threw the boy into nearby bushes, pledged the cord in a pawn shop and then purchased liquor.

Satish, who regained consciousness after some time, ran home and informed his parents who then admitted him to the Vaniyambadi Government Hospital. His mother Chitra complained to the police and based on it police arrested both Velu and Balan and are investigating further.