Six arrested for beating boy to death at correction facility

CHENNAI/ MADURAI: Almost a fortnight after a 17-year-old boy died under mysterious circumstances at the Government Observation Home in Chengalpattu, the police have arrested six people including the superintendent of the home. Police said the six people allegedly beat the boy which led to his death under custody.

The deceased, Gokul Sri, was a resident of Kannadapalayam near Tambaram. The suspects – S Mohan, 30, superintendent, P Vidyasagar, 33, assistant superintendent, J Honesh Raj, 29, barber inside the home, D Vijayakumar, 30, warden, M Saranraj, warden and R Chandrababu, 40, house master – are employees of social defense department.

Speaking to TNIE, a senior police officer said, “The autopsy report suggested that the boy was subjected to physical attack. Further based on statements from other staff we found that the boy was beaten badly and was rushed to the hospital after he fell unconscious”

He added the wardens, house master and barber were involved in beating the boy while the superintendent and the assistant superintendent were arrested on the basis of dereliction of duty that led to the death of the boy. People’s Watch, a human rights NGO, has lauded the state government for arresting the six people.
On December 28, Gokul was arrested by Tambaram railway police after he allegedly stole a battery belonging to the railway department. He was placed at a juvenile correction facility in Chengalpattu on December 29.