In Dharmapuri, police have arrested 17 college students including three minors for allegedly assaulting a 22-year-old tribal student after accusing him of stealing a pair of earphones. Authorities are still searching for two additional suspects believed to be involved in the incident.
The students have been charged under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, with the minors being presented before the Juvenile Justice Board.
The arrests were made following a complaint lodged by V. Thiruvarasan, a BSc Mathematics student from Tirupattur, currently studying at Dharmapuri Arts and Science College. In his statement, Thiruvarasan reported that a group of 19 fellow hostel residents physically assaulted him and falsely accused him of theft on the night of 18 September.
Police officials said Thiruvarasan, who supports his education by working at a bakery near Adhiyamankottai, returned to the college hostel late that evening. Upon his arrival, some hostel inmates accused him of stealing earphones.
“Despite denying the accusations, Thiruvarasan was confronted by his roommates and other students, who insisted he had stolen items from them,” police stated. The confrontation escalated, leading to a physical attack and caste-based verbal abuse. Thiruvarasan sustained multiple injuries from the assault, and a formal investigation is underway.
(With Inputs From TNIE)
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