A shocking incident of brutal assault, allegedly recorded for social media clout, has come to light in Chennai. A 20-year-old youth from Odisha was attacked with sickles by a four-member gang of juveniles near the Old Railway Quarters in Tiruttani.
The Train Journey That Turned Violent
The victim, identified as K Suraj, aged 20, had recently arrived in Chennai following a family dispute. On Saturday evening, he was travelling in the Chennai–Tiruttani EMU local train. The situation turned dangerous when four intoxicated juveniles boarded the compartment at Tiruvalangadu station. They were carrying two sickles concealed in their bags.
One of the boys initiated a conversation with Suraj in Hindi, which quickly escalated into a heated argument. The verbal dispute persisted throughout the journey until the train reached its final destination at Tiruttani.
Premeditated Assault and Social Media Recording
After alighting from the train, the group took Suraj to the abandoned Old Railway Quarters. What followed was a premeditated and vicious attack. While three of the juveniles assaulted Suraj with sickles, the fourth member of the gang recorded the entire incident on his mobile phone, intending to upload it to social media platforms.
The assault left Suraj with severe cut injuries on his head, hands, and cheeks. After inflicting the injuries, the juvenile gang fled the spot, leaving the victim bleeding and unconscious.
Police Action and Arrest of Accused
Regaining consciousness after some time, Suraj managed to crawl to the main road. Alert passers-by, who noticed him profusely bleeding, immediately informed the police. He was first rushed to the Tiruttani Government Hospital for initial treatment. Due to the seriousness of his injuries, he was later referred to the Tiruvallur Government Medical College Hospital, where his condition is now reported to be stable.
Acting on a tip-off and crucially, the video of the attack that was uploaded online, the police launched a search. They successfully traced and apprehended the four juveniles near the Gangai Amman temple, located close to the Tiruttani–Arakkonam bypass. The accused were found drinking at the time of their arrest.
Police investigations revealed that all four accused are school dropouts. The authorities have registered a case under serious charges, including attempt to murder and criminal intimidation. Following the legal procedure for minors, all four juveniles have been sent to the Government Observation Home at Kellys in Chennai.
