logo
Coimbatore Police constitute six teams to probe 'murder' of inmate at Pollachi centre

Coimbatore Police constitute six teams to probe 'murder' of inmate at Pollachi centre

Hans India24-05-2025

Chennai: Coimbatore District (Rural) Police have launched an intensive investigation into the suspected murder of a 23-year-old man with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), who had been staying at a care home for persons with intellectual disabilities in Pollachi.
Six special police teams have been formed, and two individuals associated with the facility have been detained, while four others are currently absconding.
The deceased youth was identified as S. R. Varunkanth, son of T. Ravikumar and Banumathi, residents of Amman Nagar, Karavali Mathappur.
Varunkanth was admitted to the Yuthira Charitable Trust (Special Children Care and Training Centre) at Rathinasabapathy Puram on February 4 for rehabilitation.
The family had agreed to pay Rs 40,000 per month and contributed Rs 50,000 of a promised Rs 1 lakh as a donation.
They were permitted to visit Varunkanth only once every six months, police said.
The facility initially claimed that Varunkanth had gone missing during an outing to Aliyar Dam on May 12.
Acting on this information, his father lodged a missing persons complaint with the Aliyar Police on May 15. While the trust initially cooperated with authorities, inconsistencies began to emerge.
CCTV footage from Aliyar Dam revealed no evidence that the youth had ever been there. Subsequently, the family received alarming information indicating that Varunkanth had been physically assaulted by staff members on May 12.
A disturbing video emerged, showing him seated on the floor with severe injuries. Concerned over the discrepancies, the family approached Superintendent of Police K. Karthikeyan on Thursday.
The case was then transferred to the Mahalingapuram Police Station, which has jurisdiction over the care home.
Shortly thereafter, all six suspects - including staff and trustees - absconded. However, two were later detained. During interrogation, the detained suspects confessed that Varunkanth had died due to the abuse and was buried at a farmland owned by the trust at S. Nagoor near Naduppuni.
Efforts to exhume the body on Friday were unsuccessful, as the exact burial location could not be identified. Officials from the District Differently-Abled Welfare Department confirmed that 26 inmates were staying at the home. Following the incident, most were relocated to their native places.
Alarmingly, seven residents had been forcibly moved to a relative's house belonging to one of the suspects in Pollachi.
Six of them were rescued on Thursday, and one more on Friday. Police and welfare officials are working to reunite them with their families.
According to official sources, the care home was recognised by the Commissionerate for the Welfare of the Differently-Abled on May 12 based on its track record over the past three years, although it received no government funding.
The institution has now been shut down for violations related to fee collection, and in light of the ongoing criminal investigation.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Man pledges fake gold, dupes SBI of 7 Lakh
Man pledges fake gold, dupes SBI of 7 Lakh

Time of India

time21 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Man pledges fake gold, dupes SBI of 7 Lakh

Meerut: An FIR was registered on Sunday after the State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Sarurpur village, Meerut, suffered a loss of over Rs 7 lakh when a man secured loans using fake gold jewellery. According to the bank, the accused, Mohd Nazim — a resident of Meerut — took a loan of Rs 5.7 lakh in 2015 by mortgaging jewellery that was later found to be mostly silver. In 2018, he secured another loan, bringing the total disbursed amount to nearly Rs 11 lakh. However, a recent assessment found the pledged ornaments to be worth only Rs 3.7 lakh, causing a loss of Rs 7.2 lakh to the bank. Bank manager Aditya (who goes by his first name only) said the jewellery had been certified by a well-known jeweller from Meerut's Sarafa Bazaar, and the bank had relied on that purity certificate, which turned out to be fake. SP (Rural) Rakesh Kumar Mishra said, "An FIR has been registered against both the borrower and the jeweller under IPC section 420 (cheating), 406(cfriminal breach of trust ) at Sarurpur police station. We are investigating and expect a breakthrough soon."

Eatery owner receives 4cr extortion call
Eatery owner receives 4cr extortion call

Time of India

time21 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Eatery owner receives 4cr extortion call

New Delhi: An eatery owner in Rohini received an extortion threat on Monday, with the caller demanding Rs 4 crore in the name of gangster Kaushal Chaudhary's gang. The businessman, who runs a popular Chole Bhature outlet, reportedly received a threatening phone call from an international number. The caller warned of dire consequences if the amount was not paid promptly, leaving the eatery owner in a state of fear and distress. According to police, the threatening call came around 4 pm, and the owner immediately took the matter seriously. Terrified by the threats, he contacted the police and filed a formal complaint at around 6 pm the same day. The businessman's prompt action led to Delhi Police launching an investigation into the case. Police are actively working to trace the origin of the call and identify those responsible for the extortion attempt. Kaushal Chaudhary, the gang's chief, was extradited from Dubai in 2019 and jailed in Haryana. Besides this gang, businessmen have also been receiving threats from other groups. Last month, a 49-year-old businessman from Najafgarh received an extortion demand of Rs 2 crore and death threats. The caller, claiming to be UK-based gangster Kapil Sangwan, alias Nandu, threatened to kill the businessman and his family if the demand wasn't met. In March, a businessman in city received an extortion call for Rs 5 crore purportedly from the Jaipal Bhullar group. Two weeks later, armed assailants opened fire at his house. In May, two men opened fire at a car showroom in west Delhi's Tilak Nagar, injuring at least four people.

Government disputes Vijay Mallya claims on loan repayment and outstanding dues
Government disputes Vijay Mallya claims on loan repayment and outstanding dues

Time of India

time21 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Government disputes Vijay Mallya claims on loan repayment and outstanding dues

NEW DELHI: Govt and banks have called out Vijay Mallya 's claims of being harassed by lenders despite having cleared their outstanding debts, arguing that the bankrupt businessman still owes a large amount of money to creditors. When the case was filed in the debt recovery tribunal in June 2013, the consolidated non-performing (NPA) outstanding of Kingfisher Airlines was pegged at Rs 6,848 crore, which included non-cumulative redeemable preference shares. Including the accrued interest and other charges of Rs 10,933 crore, according to the DRT decree, the total liability due to the creditors added up to Rs 17,781 crore as of April 10. Against this, banks have recovered Rs 10,815 crore, leaving them with a gap of Rs 6,997 crore, which is yet to be recovered, govt sources said. Mallya claimed that he paid Rs 14,000 crore to banks against loans of Rs 6,200 crore. Any loan comes with interest until the amount is fully paid. In the case of loan defaulters, such as Mallya, there is also a penal interest. The flamboyant businessman, known to live life king-size, seems to have based his claims on clearing the principal, and not the outstanding. The fugitive, who is seeking to block his return to India to face legal action, made similar claims in the past. With Mallya fleeing the country, banks stepped up efforts to recover their dues and were permitted by PMLA courts to sell the property that was attached by enforcement agencies on execution of a bond with the condition that in case of acquittal of the borrowers, the lenders would return the assets. Banks have sold a majority of the properties, including the famous Kingfisher Villa in Goa, and recovered Rs 10,815 crore. Sources said that the recovery process is in line with the board-approved policies of banks. "The norms are uniform irrespective of who the borrower is or from which part of the country or community he or she comes from. So, any allegation or claim made by Vijay Mallya regarding recoveries under any undue influence or under media pressure or due to an inherent bias against him is misconstrued and completely baseless," said a source. The loans to Kingfisher, which were restructured by some of the lenders, are also under the scanner with senior executives such as former IDBI Bank chief Yogesh Agarwal also arrested by CBI for alleged irregularities. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store