Police to exhume body of youth 'beaten' to death at rehabilitation home in Tamil Nadu
CHENNAI: Police in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore district are preparing to exhume the body of a 24-year-old man who was allegedly beaten to death by staff at a home for people with intellectual disabilities.
The deceased, SR Varunkanth, had been admitted to the Yuthira Charitable Trust Special Children Care and Training Centre near Pollachi on 4 February. He reportedly suffered from attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Police say Varunkanth died on 12 May after being severely beaten by staff. His body was allegedly buried the following day in a remote plot of land around 20km away, with the help of trustees of the facility.
The incident came to light after the victim's father, T Ravikumar, filed a missing persons report when he was told his son had disappeared during a group outing to Aliyar Dam. He later received video evidence indicating his son had been assaulted, prompting him to file a formal complaint with district police.
According to investigators, two staff members and one trustee have been arrested. During questioning, they reportedly confessed to the assault and subsequent burial.
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Forensic experts, police, and officials from the Revenue Department visited the burial site in S Nagore near Nadupuni on Saturday to begin the process of exhumation.
Police say multiple pits had been dug under the pretext of agricultural activity. The exhumation is expected to assist in the ongoing investigation. Six special teams have been formed to trace the remaining suspects, who are believed to be in hiding.
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