CHENNAI: Police detained seven college students with knives at the Pazhavanthangal railway station on Monday, a day after an alleged case of sexual assault against a policewoman was reported from there.
The constable (25), attached to the intelligence department of the city police commissionerate, was a resident of Pazhavanthangal. On Saturday around 11.50 pm, the victim reached the Pazhavanthangal railway station in EMU and was walking on the platform. A miscreant following the cop allegedly pushed her down, misbehaved with her and snatched her gold chain. He was caught by the public and police identified him as Sathya Baalu (40) of Chitlapakkam. He was handed over to the Mambalam railway police.
On complaints that young men used to visit the Pazhavanthangal Railway station with knives and sickles even during the day, police on Monday tracked two Pachaiyappa's college students, Parthiban and Vishwas, on the railway premises with knives. While one of them managed to escape, police detained Parthiban, a second-year student. Based on information from him, police detained Vishwas and five other students of Pachaiyappa's from the railway premises with knives.
Police said the students are not linked to the case. A probe is on to find out why they were waiting at the station with knives.