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A year after surviving a brutal caste-based assault by his schoolmates, a Dalit student from Tamil Nadu has been attacked again this time by a gang of four men who allegedly tried to rob him in Kokkirakulam, Tirunelveli.
Chinnadurai, a First Year B.Com student, had made headlines in 2023 when he was assaulted by a group of schoolmates allegedly for outperforming them academically. The attackers had barged into his home and beat him up. His then 13-year-old sister was also injured while trying to protect him. Despite the trauma, Chinnadurai recovered, scored 78 per cent in his Class 12 exams, and began his college education.
However, on the evening of Wednesday, April 16, the student once again became a victim of violence. According to the district police, Chinnadurai left home around 6:15 PM to meet a friend in Palayamkottai. By 7:30 PM, his mother received a distressing call from an unknown number informing her that her son had been attacked.
Police officials reached the scene and took Chinnadurai to the District Government Hospital, where he received treatment for his injuries. In his statement, Chinnadurai said he had gone to meet a friend he had connected with on Instagram when he was surrounded by four men who demanded money. When he told them he had none, they reportedly assaulted him and took his phone.
Investigators say Chinnadurai was unable to provide access to his Instagram account for verification, citing he couldn’t recall the password or recover his email.
Chinnadurai has since returned home, and a police investigation is currently underway. Authorities are probing whether this latest attack was a targeted caste-based assault or a case of attempted robbery.
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