A 17-year-old boy was allegedly chased and fatally run over by a car following a brawl in Tirupattur, Sivaganga district on May 2. The incident, which came to light only on Wednesday, has sparked a 10-day standoff as grieving relatives refuse to claim the body, demanding the arrest of the accused. Police have booked three individuals in connection with the incident.
Victim Identified
The deceased has been identified as Praveen Kumar, a resident of Tirupattur. He belonged to the Dalit community. According to police sources, on May 2, authorities received information that a boy was found dead on the Maruthuvakudipatti to Konnathanpatti road in Tirupattur. Police rushed to the spot and discovered that he had died after being run over by a car. The body was recovered and sent to Tirupattur Government Hospital for an autopsy.
Case Registered
Based on a complaint from the deceased's father, Ponnalagu, a case was registered by Kandavarayanpatti police under Section 102 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on May 3.
Initial Investigation
Preliminary investigations revealed that Praveen's friend, Dinesh, had been involved in an altercation with Meenakshi Sundaram of Tirupattur over a personal dispute on May 1. On May 2, another verbal altercation broke out between the boys and Sundaram. Subsequently, Sundaram and his associates chased the boys. Praveen and two of his friends, who were escaping on a two-wheeler, were allegedly hit by a car driven by Senthil Kumar. Praveen sustained severe injuries and died on the spot.
Allegations and Clarifications
Relatives of Praveen told the Times of India that an associate of Sundaram murdered the boy after using a casteist slur against him. However, senior police officials clarified that there is no caste angle involved, stating that the group of boys hailed from various communities.
Police have registered a case against Chellaiah, Senthilkumar, and Sundaram. No arrests have been made so far. Authorities are continuing their investigation to ascertain the exact cause of death.
