Coimbatore, 13 August — Police on Wednesday arrested six persons and continued searches for at least 11 others, mostly students of a private engineering college at Othakalmandapam, in connection with the death of a third-year undergraduate who succumbed after an assault near the campus on Monday, the Chettipalayam police said.
Arrests and identities
Those taken into custody include B. Aaramudhan, 20 of Panruti (Cuddalore district); M. Aravind, 21 of Manamadurai (Sivaganga district); S. Siva Rohith, 20 of Needamangalam (Tiruvarur district); V. Mani Balu, 20 of Sathanatham near Kunnam (Perambalur district); a 17-year-old boy from Tiruvallur district; and one Santhosh, police said. The first four are students of Hindusthan College of Engineering and Technology, the statement added.
The deceased was identified as K. Amuthan, 19, of Kallakurichi, a third-year undergraduate of the same college. His friend, Sriman, 19, was also involved in the incidents that preceded the assault, the police said.
Sequence of incidents, according to police
The police account indicates a series of retaliatory confrontations. On the night of August 9, members of a group led by a student named Deepak allegedly assaulted two second-year students, Vanchit and Haridas, at a ground near the campus. Santhosh, one of those arrested, reportedly said he took part in that assault as a member of Deepak’s group.
Learning of the earlier attack, Amuthan, Sriman, Vanchit, Haridas and others went to the accommodation of Deepak and his associates at Othakalmandapam at about 5.30 a.m. on Monday and assaulted them, the police said. Vanchit and Haridas subsequently travelled to Goa for an industrial visit after that incident.
Police said that Deepak and his friends then planned revenge. At about 8.30 a.m. on Monday, they intercepted Amuthan and Sriman at Malumichampatti, took them to the ground behind the campus and assaulted them. Amuthan returned to his accommodation around 10 a.m.; by 3 p.m. he developed breathing difficulties and was rushed to hospital, where he died without responding to treatment, the Chettipalayam police registered a case said.
"A case was registered based on the complaint of Sriman," the police statement said, adding that searches were continuing to locate others allegedly involved.
Ongoing investigation and persons sought
Investigators are on the lookout for at least 11 additional suspects, including Deepak, who is suspected to have led the assault that resulted in Amuthan’s death. The police said they are examining statements, movements of the students and other evidence collected at the scenes near the campus and at student accommodations in Othakalmandapam.
- Six arrests confirmed by Chettipalayam police.
- At least 11 persons remain under search, most are students of the same college.
- Death followed a sequence of retaliatory assaults beginning August 9–10.
The college named in police communications is Hindusthan College of Engineering and Technology, located near Othakalmandapam. The institution and its administration have not been quoted in the police statement released so far. Police did not specify whether any weapons were recovered or whether charges beyond assault and culpable homicide were being considered; formal charge details will be finalised as the probe progresses, the statement added.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Deceased | K. Amuthan, 19, third-year student, Kallakurichi |
| Arrested | Six persons (including four college students and one minor) |
| Suspects at large | At least 11, including student named Deepak |
The Chettipalayam police said they will continue investigations, questioning of the arrested persons and search operations to apprehend those still wanted. Local residents and students at the college expressed concern about campus safety, and police have increased patrols around student accommodations and the campus area while the probe is under way.
Further updates are expected as authorities complete post-mortem reports and file charges based on forensic and testimonial evidence gathered during the ongoing inquiry.
