19 booked after clash over evening snacks at Pazhathottam juvenile home
A clash broke out between two groups of inmates over the quantity of evening snacks served at a government-run juvenile home in Pazhathottam, near Chengalpattu, on July 5. The altercation left a 17-year-old resident injured and resulted in police booking 19 inmates.
The incident occurred at a newly-built facility that houses males aged between 17 and 21 who are in conflict with the law. The home, which accommodates first-time offenders involved in non-heinous offences, has more than 80 residents housed across its ground and first floors.
According to the Chengalpattu Taluk police, the trouble began when the residents assembled on the ground floor for their evening snacks. An argument erupted over the portions being distributed. Members of one group allegedly complained that they had received smaller portions of snacks than the other group. This verbal dispute quickly escalated into a physical clash between the two groups.
During the altercation, the residents allegedly damaged the doors of the facility. Facility wardens alerted the police and rushed the injured 17-year-old resident to the Chengalpattu Government Medical College and Hospital. Officials reported that the injured youth is undergoing treatment and is currently in stable condition.
Officers from the Chengalpattu Taluk police station arrived at the facility and brought the situation under control. Following a preliminary inquiry, the police registered cases against the rival groups involved in the violence.
A total of 19 people were booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for rioting and damaging government property. The police booked seven residents from one group and 12 from the other. Authorities have not officially disclosed how many of those booked are minors.
In the wake of the incident, security has been tightened at the Pazhathottam facility. The police are continuing their investigation to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the clash.
