3 minors held for forcing 7-yr-old to take tobacco

MADURAI: Three juveniles were held in Tenkasi on Thursday after being charged with forcing a seven-year-old boy to consume ‘Cool Lip,’ a tobacco product.

The incident occurred at Nagalkulam, a village near Pavoorchatram on December 4 and a video of the incident went viral on social media. It prompted the police to take action, sources said. The video showed a juvenile compelling the boy to keep it under his tongue, and taste it. As soon as the boy tasted it, he felt uncomfortable and was about to spit. Subsequently, the juvenile shouted at the boy repeatedly not to spit and instructed him to keep the substance properly under his tongue.

DIG Tirunelveli Range, Pravesh Kumar, said preliminary enquiries revealed that actually one of the juveniles was indulging in such acts and the local police conducted searches in a petty shop, where ‘Cool Lip’ was said to be bought and also in the shopkeeper’s house. But, no contraband was found. SP R Krishnaraj held enquiries with those held.

Circle Inspector of Police (Surandai) T Suthanthira Devi said apart from the juveniles, two shopkeepers aged 70 and 80 were picked up for interrogation. The juveniles are aged 16 and one of them dropped out of school after Class 10. Two of them were found teasing the boy while he’s walking unconsciously.

Based on a complaint by the mother of the victim, Police filed a case under Sections 328 of IPC and 77 of Juvenile Justice Act.

They were produced before the Juvenile Justice Board in Tirunelveli.