KARUR: A 15-year-old boy was allegedly lynched on suspicion of having stolen Rs 3,000 in cash and a mobile phone worth about Rs 4,000, by five of his neighbours in Allaligoundanur near Jagathabi in Karur district on Saturday night.
The boy, P Balasubramani, was allegedly tied to a pole and beaten after being questioned by the neighbours. His body was found Sunday morning. The incident reportedly occurred after Rs 3,000 was found missing from the house of one S Palanisami’s mother on Saturday. The mobile phone of V Muniyandi, another villager, had also gone missing on Thursday. These thefts were all attributed to Balasubramani by some of his neighbours.
According to police, Palanisami, Muniyandi and three other neighbours, identified as Manivel, Muniyappan and Selvakumar, had gone to Balasubramani’s house on Saturday to question him.
Police said that during their investigation they learnt that the five men had forced Elanjiyam, the boy’s widowed mother and his younger sister to leave the house so they could question Balasubramani in private. The mother and sister spent the night at a temple. When they returned home on Sunday morning, they found Balasubramani dead near a pole with injuries on his body.
The accused are alleged to have attacked the boy with sticks and beaten him to make him confess to the thefts. Elanjiyam filed a complaint with the Velliyanai police, who managed to nab Selvakumar. The other four men are absconding, said the police.
Balasubramani was a Class 8 student who lived with his mother and sister, who is a Class 5 student. Balasubramani’s father had died recently and his 35-year-old mother worked as a daily wage labourer to support the family.
About the victim
Fifteen-year-old P Balasubramani had reportedly lost his father recently. He was a Class 8 student. His neighbours are believed to have attributed recent thefts to the boy.