Six arrested in Coimbatore engineering student murder, search on for 11 others
Six persons, including a minor, were arrested on Wednesday (August 12) in connection with the murder of a 19-year-old engineering student in Coimbatore. The police have also launched a search for at least 11 others, most of them students of a private college, in connection with the killing.
The victim, identified as K. Amuthan, a third-year undergraduate student of Hindusthan College of Engineering and Technology at Othakalmandapam near Coimbatore, was assaulted near the campus on Monday (August 10) and later died in a hospital.
The police identified the arrested as B. Aaramudhan (20) of Panruti in Cuddalore district, M. Aravind (21) of Manamadurai in Sivaganga district, S. Siva Rohith (20) of Needamangalam in Tiruvarur district, V. Mani Balu (20) of Sathanatham near Kunnam in Perambalur district, a 17-year-old boy from Tiruvallur district, and one Santhosh. The first four accused are students of the same college, police said.
According to the police, the incident follows a series of violent clashes between two groups of students. Santhosh, in his statement after arrest, said he was part of a team led by Deepak, a fourth-year student who is still at large. The team allegedly assaulted Vanchit and Haridas, second-year students, at a ground near the campus on the night of August 9.
Amuthan and his friend Sriman (19) reportedly came to know about the assault on their friends. To avenge the attack, Amuthan, Vanchit, Haridas and others went to the accommodation of Deepak and his group at Othakalmandapam around 5.30 a.m. on Monday and assaulted them. Vanchit and Haridas left for Goa for an industrial visit after the incident, police said.
Police said that Deepak and his friends then planned revenge. They intercepted Amuthan and Sriman at Malumichampatti around 8.30 a.m. on Monday and took them to a ground behind the campus, where they were assaulted. Amuthan returned to his accommodation around 10 a.m. and developed breathing difficulty by 3 p.m. He was rushed to a hospital, where he died without responding to treatment.
The Chettipalayam police registered a case based on a complaint from Sriman and later arrested the six accused. A separate case was registered based on a complaint from a civil engineering student of the college regarding the earlier assault on Vanchit and Haridas.
Faculty members of Hindusthan College told media on Wednesday that Amuthan and another student, Ajis, had been suspended on July 24 for assaulting a hostel cook on campus on July 21. The institution said it was not aware that Amuthan had stayed back in Coimbatore after the suspension. The police have sought a list of 15 students from the college in connection with the incidents.
The search continues for the remaining accused, including Deepak, who is suspected to have led the murder plot. Police have appealed to the public for information on their whereabouts and have assured that all legal procedures will be followed.
