CHENNAI: A police head constable attached to the Taramani police station was suspended from duty and a case has been registered against three other persons in connection with the assault of a 17-year-old boy from Kannagi Nagar in a case of mistaken identity on Friday night.
The suspension order was issued on Tuesday after a detailed enquiry was conducted by a team headed by K Shankar, Additional Commissioner, South, as per orders passed by the city police commissioner. The enquiry revealed that Saravanan, head constable, along with two home guards (one of whom was identified as Senthil) and one other person were involved in the incident.
The victim’s parents approached the city police commissioner T K Rajendran on Saturday alleging that their son was manhandled by four policemen in civvies.
Sumathi, the victim’s mother complained that her son was picked up from their house in Kannagi Nagar on Friday night at around 10.30 pm when he was having dinner. He was taken on charges of stealing mobile phones. The boy said that four officers thrashed him badly inflicting injuries on his face and torso, with deep gashes on his lips.
The victim is a class 7 drop out and worked as a casual labourer in Pudupet assisting his father. After the police realised they had picked up the wrong boy, they gave him Rs 10 and asked him return home in a share auto. They also threatened him not to reveal the incident to anyone, the victim claimed in his statement.