Four Tamil Nadu teenagers were arrested for attacking a migrant worker with machetes near Chennai after videos went viral.
The victim, a Maharashtra resident, is undergoing treatment at Thiruvallur Government Hospital.
Political reactions followed, with opposition targeting the DMK government and the ruling party calling it an isolated incident.
Tamil Nadu Teens Arrested for Attacking Migrant Worker With Machetes
Four 17-year-olds were detained after videos of the assault inside a suburban train and near a house went viral on social media
Summary
Four teenagers have been taken into custody in Tamil Nadu for allegedly attacking a migrant worker with machetes near Chennai, after videos of the assault circulated widely on social media, NDTV reported.
The incident involved a group of four boys, all aged 17, who were seen harassing and assaulting the worker inside a suburban train travelling from Chennai to Thiruthani. One of the accused later uploaded a video of the attack as an Instagram reel, in which he is seen brandishing a machete, set to a Tamil song.
The victim, a migrant worker from Maharashtra, suffered serious injuries and was left bloodied in the attack. He is currently undergoing treatment at the Thiruvallur Government Hospital.
Police detained all four accused following the circulation of the videos. Three of the teenagers were sent to a juvenile home in Chengalpattu, while the fourth was released on bail, with the court citing his studies as the reason.
Reacting to the incident, Karti Chidambaram, the Member of Parliament from Sivaganga, urged the Tamil Nadu Police to reassure the public.
“I reiterate my earlier demand. Time has come for the Tamil Nadu police to prove its mettle. A statewide ‘Show of Force’ operation is needed immediately. Massive checking of all vehicles plying the roads & identity checks must be done. All history sheeters must be required to report to the nearest police station thrice a week,” he said in a post on X.
Opposition parties have stepped up their criticism of the MK Stalin-led DMK government, with assembly elections due next year. They alleged that the state has failed to curb the drug problem.
“DMK’s Dravidian model achievement. When drugs get into the hands of juveniles, this is what happens. Tamil Nadu is the new Amsterdam and narcotic state of India. These boys should not be treated as juveniles; they should be treated as adults,” AIADMK leader Kovai Sathyan said, reported NDTV.
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The ruling party, however, played down the incident. DMK leader TKS Elangovan described it as an “isolated incident”.
“When the incident came to light, the police immediately took action. Thousands of migrant labourers across Tamil Nadu feel safe in the state,” he said.
(With inputs from NDTV)
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