In a shocking caste-related incident in Thoothukudi, a 17-year-old Scheduled Caste (Devendra Kula Vellalar) student suffered serious injuries on 10 March 2025, after being brutally attacked with machetes by three individuals from dominant Maravar caste, including two minors, following an alleged eve-teasing incident. The assault left him with critical head wounds, a severed right thumb, and several damaged fingers, necessitating plastic surgery.
The victim, a Class XI student, was on his way to school in Palayamkottai in the morning. when the assailants stopped the bus at Kettiayammalpuram and forcibly dragged him out. They then attacked him with machetes, striking his head and back, causing him to collapse unconscious on the road.
According to reports, the victim, a resident of Ariyanayagipuram, had allegedly harassed a fellow Class XI student, the sister of one of the attackers, who belonged to a caste Hindu community. Despite previous warnings from the girl’s brother, the victim reportedly continued his behavior, leading to the violent retaliation. Police noted that tensions between the victim and the accused had escalated earlier during a kabaddi match.
Srivaikuntam Inspector of Police, Padmanabha Pillai, visited the crime scene and conducted inquiries. Following a complaint, Srivaikuntam police registered a case under Section 307 of the IPC and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. All three suspects were arrested, including a 19-year-old identified as M. Lakshmanan alias Periyavan, while the other two were minors.
Dr. C. Revathy Balan, Dean of Tirunelveli Government Medical College, confirmed that the victim is in stable condition. “He suffered significant blood loss due to deep wounds on his head and back. His right thumb was severed, and multiple fingers were badly injured, requiring plastic surgery. A team of seven doctors is overseeing his treatment,” hospital sources stated to DT Next.
(With inputs from DTNext)
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