TIRUNELVELI: Tirunelveli town police apprehended a 17-year-old boy for attempting to hack a 16-year-old boy with a sickle here on Friday, over a dispute on bursting crackers during Deepavali. The CCTV footage of the incident, in which the younger boy used a 70-year-old woman to defend himself, went viral on social media.
The issue allegedly began during Deepavali celebrations on Kariya Manicka Perumal Temple Street, where the two minors were involved in a heated argument. The conflict escalated on Thursday night, following which the 17-year-old chased the younger boy through the streets with a sickle.
In the heat of the moment, the 16-year-old used a 70-year-old woman, Lakshmi, to shield himself. The woman walking on the same road, lost her balance and fell, sustaining injuries to her hand and leg. The 17-year-old boy was eventually calmed down by his friends and taken away on a two-wheeler.
Following complaints lodged by the injured woman and the 16-year-old boy, the Tirunelveli town police registered a case and apprehended the 17-year-old. He was presented before the juvenile justice board and remanded to a juvenile observation home. The CCTV footage of the chase has gone viral on social media, drawing attention to the surge in violence among minors in the district.