TIRUNELVELI: Five persons, including a 16-year-old juvenile, were apprehended on Monday for allegedly assaulting, in an inebriated state, an armed reserve police personnel from Melapalayam at the VOC Stadium a day before.
The victim, A Rahmathullah (28), has been admitted to the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital (TvMCH) with a deep cut injury on his arm. A police officer told TNIE that one of the suspects, M Harish (21) of Vasavappapuram in Thoothukudi district, sustained a fracture in his right hand while allegedly attempting to escape from the police.
Besides the juvenile in conflict with the law, the three other suspects have been identified as M Mathan (19), J Parthiban (20) -- both from Ilanthaikulam -- and Dinesh (22) of Palayamkottai.
According to the police, Rahmathullah -- who had visited the sports complex with his family on Sunday night -- intervened when a scuffle broke out between the suspects and a youth. The five had picked up a quarrel with the youth for befriending a girl who is in a relationship with one of the suspects.
When Rahmathullah attempted to help the youth, the suspects, who were allegedly drunk, assaulted the armed reserve personnel, with Harish allegedly attacking Rahmathullah with a sickle, added sources.
Tirunelveli city commissioner of police Santosh Hadimani constituted a special team, led by deputy commissioner of police (East) V Vinoth Santharam, who secured all the five suspects in the wee hours of Monday. "All five persons were drunk during the time of the incident," added a police officer.