Cops launch search after 6 juveniles flee Vellore home

VELLORE: Four special teams of the Vellore police have fanned out to different locations in the State to apprehend the six juveniles, who escaped from the government detention home in the district on Monday night.

The six juveniles had escaped on Monday night after attacking and injuring three staffers. “The escapees include two from Chennai, two from Tiruvallur and one each from Salem and Tirunelveli,” sources said.

Sources further stated that the remaining inmates continued to create a ruckus breaking furniture even as a social welfare department official in the rank of a deputy director was inspecting the premises on Tuesday.

Though the detention home staff wanted to lodge a complaint against 14 inmates, who created a ruckus on Tuesday, to the Vellore North police station, their decision was not approved by officials stating that they wanted to make some changes in the complaint.

The guards of the detention home, meanwhile, met Collector P Kumaravel Pandian and handed over a petition seeking protection while on duty. They alleged that the inmates abused them in the choicest terms.

The home houses 42 inmates and is overseen by superintendent Vijaya Kumar and two security personnel.

A Chennai-based inmate, who climbed atop the home on March 25 seeking not to be shifted from the Vellore facility, was pacified by the juvenile court Judge Padma Kumari and brought down.

The 6 inmates, including the Chennai boy, assaulted the security staff with sticks before escape. Vjaya Kumar immediately informed SP Rajesh Kannan, who along with Vellore Range DIG MS Muthusamy and Vellore RDO Kavitha, visited the spot and conducted inquiries. Judge Padma Kumari also held an inquiry.