TIRUNELVELI: Braving all odds in the aftermath of a caste-based crime, followed by nearly four months in the hospital, a 17-year-old hailing from a Scheduled Caste (SC) community scored 469 marks (78.16%) in the Class 12 exams here on Monday.
Chinnadurai, who was hacked by three MBC students in August 2023 at his house in Nanguneri, secured 94 marks in computer application, 93 in English, 85 in accountancy, 84 in commerce, 71 in Tamil and 42 in economics.
Speaking to TNIE, he said, “I am happy I could score 469 marks despite my long stay in the hospital. I thank the teachers who taught me while I was hospitalised, and the cooperative nurses. I wish to study BCom and become a chartered accountant in the future. “
Chinnadurai’s schoolmates, hailing from an MBC community, had often harassed him and also asked him to buy them cigarettes. As he complained about this to the school headmaster, the three students had entered his house and hacked him multiple times. His 14-year-old sister was also injured when she attempted to intervene and save him.
With severe injuries, the duo was admitted to the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital (TvMCH) where Chinnadurai was treated for nearly four months. Doctors from Chennai were brought in to perform surgery on his hand.
As Chinnadurai could not continue his studies in his Valliyur-based government-aided school, Collector K P Karthikeyan got him into a Tirunelveli-based school after his discharge. The collector also admitted Chinnadurai’s sister to another school in Tirunelveli and arranged a house for his family in the city.