Coimbatore: Five inmates of the Coimbatore Central Prison have been booked for assaulting the prime accused in the rape and murder case of a 10-year-old girl from Sulur. The incident occurred on the prison campus on Saturday, and the inmates have since been transferred to other prisons.
Identification of the Accused Inmates
The booked inmates have been identified as R Jeevanantham, 29, of Karur; R Mahadevan, 27, of Tiruvarur; M Naveen Kumar, 29, of Rathinapuri in Coimbatore; M Ganesh, 30; and M Viswanathan, 32, both natives of Tirupur. Of the five, all except Jeevanantham were remanded in prison in different murder cases.
Background of the Sulur Case Accused
The Sulur rape and murder case accused, Karthi, was lodged in the Coimbatore Central Prison on Friday (May 29) after undergoing treatment at Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) for fractures in his leg and hand sustained while trying to escape arrest. Due to his medical condition, he was kept under close observation in the prison’s hospital ward.
The Assault Incident
On Saturday, the five inmates visited the prison hospital for their medical check-ups. Upon seeing Karthi in the ward, they became enraged, grabbed sharp objects available in the medical room—including scissors, a spoon, and a pen—and assaulted him. Karthi sustained multiple stab wounds and lacerations to his left eye, chest, and wrist. Prison guards rushed to the spot and rescued Karthi from the attackers. After receiving emergency first aid at the prison clinic, he was taken to CMCH.
According to an official, one of the assailants, Jeevanantham, shouted during the attack that a person who had murdered a young girl should not be left alive.
Legal Action and Transfers
Following the incident, a prison officer lodged a complaint with the Race Course police, who registered a case against the five inmates under sections 296(b), 118(1), 351(3), and 132 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on the same day. Prison authorities on Sunday transferred Jeevanantham to Chennai Central Prison, Naveen Kumar to Vellore prison, Viswanathan to Cuddalore prison, and Ganesh and Mahadevan to Salem prison.
