The police on 25 September 2025 arrested the officer in charge of a children’s home near Coimbatore after videos surfaced showing him beating an inmate with a belt.
The accused, S. Selvaraj (60) of Sakthi Nagar, Kottaipalayam, was arrested by Kovilpalayam police. Selvaraj and his wife, S. Nirmala (58), have been running Grace Happy Home Trust in Kottaipalayam for several years, with Nirmala serving as managing trustee.
According to officials of the Social Welfare Department, the facility is a recognised children’s home in the district, housing children entrusted by the Child Welfare Committee. As of Thursday, the home was sheltering nine boys.
District Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar ordered an inquiry after two videos emerged showing Selvaraj assaulting a boy in front of other inmates. In one of the clips, the child is seen pleading with him not to inflict further harm. The visuals are believed to have been recorded by another inmate.
Officials from the Revenue Department and the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) conducted an inspection at the home and the government school attended by the children. The inquiry found that Selvaraj had beaten an eight-year-old boy on August 8 as punishment for pushing another child of the same age.
District Child Protection Officer M. Hafsa submitted a report to the Collector confirming that the boy had been ill-treated. Based on the findings, DCPU Protection Officer Parimala Gandhi lodged a police complaint.
Police said a case was registered against Selvaraj and Nirmala under Sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Sections 75 (punishment for cruelty to child) and 82 (corporal punishment) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. Selvaraj was remanded to judicial custody.
(With inputs from The Hindu)
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