Group clash: Juvenile home inmates lock up rivals, try to electrocute them after pouring water on floor

CHENNAI: A violent clash broke out between two groups of students at the Chengalpattu Juvenile Correctional Home, resulting in a power outage and a lockdown. The incident occurred when one group of students attempted to electrocute another group of 25 students who were undergoing a medical examination.

The clash escalated, with students using whatever objects they could find, including stones, sticks, and broken glass to attack rivals. The situation was brought under control after a team of police personnel and medical professionals intervened.

Police said on Wednesday following the regular medical check-up, all 25 children of A block were made to sit in a hall and during that time the children who belonged to the other block locked the door from outside poured water into the floor and tried to pass electric current in the water. The security officers who noticed the incident turned off the power supply but the children of both the groups started to attack each other.

According to reports, the two groups of students had a history of clashes, and the situation had been tense for some time. The students involved in the clash were aged between 18 and 25, and some of them had been transferred from regular prisons to the correctional home.

As the situation was out of control the Chengalpattu Town police were alerted and with the police arriving at the spot the children went to their respective blocks locked themselves inside and threatened the police that they would harm themselves if the police tried to take action against them.

Later the revenue officials visited the home. The officers and the police held peace talks with the inmates and brought the situation under control. Police said fans, tables, chairs, and windows worth Rs 1 lakh were damaged during the incident.

The Chengalpattu Juvenile Correctional Home has a history of violent incidents, with similar clashes occurring in the past. The home has a total of 21 staff members, including 7 security guards and 14 teachers, who are divided into three shifts.

The Government Juvenile home is situated in Chengalpattu and the children under 18 who are involved in various crimes would be sent to the home by the court.

Police said there are two blocks in the home and in the first block 25 inmates who were involved in small crimes are admitted in A block and the 12 inmates who were involved in murder cases are admitted in another block.