TIRUNELVELI/ THOOTHUKUDI: Twelve juveniles escape from a government observation home in Palayamkottai on Tuesday night after allegedly assaulting the warden and an armed policeman. Though the minors racked their heads in charting out their escape, stars did not favour four as police nabbed them.
According to sources, 32 juveniles, identified for their involvement in various crimes, were kept at a home located alongside the South Bypass Road. They were divided into two groups and kept at two halls. They were from Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Sivaganga.
On Tuesday night, one of the juvenile sought warden Shanmugaraj’s (50) permission to use toilet claiming that he was suffering from stomachache. When Shanmugaraj and policeman Arunachalam (41) opened the hall door, the 12 of them assaulted them with an iron rod, snatched the keys and fled.
Before help arrived, the juveniles were gone. Sources said that the victims were admitted them to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital. Meanwhile, Melapalayam police rushed to the home and conducted investigation. They also alerted all the police in the city.
Subsequently, three juveniles, namely Pauldurai (17) from Melapalayam, Marikannan (14) from
Thattamparai and Balaji (14) from Thirupathur, were detained in Tirunelveli. Similarly, Surya (17) from Thoothukudi, was nabbed by Kovilpatti police. Reportedly, he was caught when he was about to leave on a train during the wee hours of Wednesday. He allegedly tried to evade police by stabbing himself with a knife. However, police foiled his plan. Later, he was taken to Kovilpatti GH, where he was given first-aid before sending him back to the station.
Sources added that M Surya, a class X dropout, surrendered before Sattur Magistrate after police launched a hunt for him in connection with the murder of a jewellery shop owner, around a fortnight ago. He was working as a cook in Kovilpatti. He was one of the seven accused, who murdered Senthil alias Ramalingam (40). While the police arrested two, four others, including Surya, surrendered before the Sattur Magistrate on February 9. Thereafter, he was sent to the observation home.
The other juveniles, including J Azaghuramar alias Ramar (17) from Thoothukudi, Y Christopher (16) from Thoothukudi, A Surya (17) from Sivaganga, V Sathyamukesh (17) from Thoothukudi, K Rajkumar (16) from Thoothukudi, Selvam (17) alias Selvasathish from Thoothukudi are still at large and hunt is for them.