20-year-old Odisha migrant worker hacked by four youths in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvallur

Chennai: In yet another hate crime, a 20-year-old migrant worker from Odisha was brutally attacked with sickles in Tiruttani in Tiruvallur district by four intoxicated juveniles, who also filmed the assault. All the four juveniles have now been apprehended by the Tiruvallur district police.

The gory incident caught on a camera – the video clip has gone viral on several social media platforms – was filmed by one of the attackers, while three of them continuously attacked the migrant worker and fled from the scene.

Police said Suraj was travelling in the general compartment of a Chennai-Tiruttani local EMU train on Saturday evening when the four juveniles, who were allegedly under the influence of drugs, boarded at Thiruvalangadu railway station near Arakkonam. The juveniles wanted to record an Instagram reel and post it on their social media pages with police saying that they concealed sickles in their bags.

“One of the juveniles initiated a conversation with Suraj and asked whether they could place a sickle on his neck for the reel. He objected and this led to an argument between the two. The argument continued till all the five arrived at Tiruttani railway station,” a police officer said.

At the Tiruttani station, the juveniles forced Suraj to accompany them to a near-by abandoned railway quarters. “This is where they thrashed him badly leaving him profusely bleeding. Three people beat him mercilessly while the fourth one filmed the incident,” the officer added.

Suraj, who became unconscious due to the thrashing, came out of the quarters after gaining consciousness following which he was treated at the government hospital in Tiruttani. He is currently recuperating at the Tiruvallur Government Medical College Hospital.

Police arrested the accused after the video went viral. A case has been registered against them on charges of attempt to murder and criminal intimidation, while the juveniles were sent to the government observation home in Chengalpattu.

The incident led to an outrage in the state with many asking the government to control the drug menace in Tamil Nadu. Some also said it was the constant targeting of migrants by meme creators and some social media handles that makes migrant labourers an easy target.

Opposition Leader Edappadi K Palaniswami termed the incident as a chilling symbol of the total collapse of law and order under the DMK government. Holding the DMK government directly responsible, EPS said the incident reflects the dangerous environment created by the Stalin-model governance and alleged that rampant drug abuse, unchecked violence, and the glorification of criminal behaviour among youth have become the hallmarks of the DMK regime.

Former TN BJP chief K Annamalai said easy access to narcotics, open glorification of violence, political propaganda against migrant workers and the casual carrying of deadly weapons like swords have become normalised under this regime. “The DMK government must be held accountable for turning a once orderly state into a Jungle Raj,” Annamalai added.