Mentally challenged man beaten to death by mob in Valasaravakkam

CHENNAI: A mentally challenged man, in his early 40's was beaten to death by public near Valasaravakkam after the former allegedly pelted stones at some of them.

While the assault happened on Thursday night (April 13), the mentally challenged man who was moved to a hospital succumbed on Saturday night after which Police altered the section to murder and arrested three persons.

According to the complaint filed with Valasaravakkam Police by Karambakkam VAO (Village Administrative Officer), K Thangapandian, the incident happened around 8 pm, last Thursday.

The mentally challenged man was said to be disturbing public by throwing stones and hurling abuses.

The man had allegedly thrown a wooden log at a woman who was seated in a two-wheeler at Padmavathy Nagar. Irate over this, her male friend questioned the mentally challenged man and took the wooden log from him and assaulted him, before leaving the place.

As the mentally challenged man took to his heels, some of the public joined and threw stones at him.

Even as the mentally challenged man was walking away from the mob with blood injuries, a person identified as Jayamuthuvel took a cricket bat and assaulted the mentally challenged man, according to the VAO's complaint.

Further, two persons identified as Ganesan and Panneerselvam joined pelted stones at the mentally challenged man. Onlookers alerted the authorities after which the mob left the scene. The mentally challenged man was moved to a government hospital in Poonamallee for further treatment. He succumbed on Saturday after which Valasaravakkam Police altered the case to murder and arrested K Jayamuthuvel (47) of Karambakkam, D Ganesan (42) of Karambakkam and S Sivaramakrishnan (20) of Virugambakkam.

Search is on for one absconding accused, Panneerselvam, police said. All arrested persons were produced before a magistrate and remanded to custody.