COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore rural police have secured five college students on Tuesday for locking up a junior student in their room suspecting him to have stolen a gold chain.
According to police, S Manikandan, 20 from Tirupattur district and studying second year in a private college in Kurumbapalayam was detained in a room and assaulted by a group of senior students.
He was staying in a room on rent along with his few friends near the college. He had befriended Praveen, 21 from Thoothukudi and studying third year in the same college and staying in a room at Vazhiampalayam ‘pirivu’ along with his four friends.
A month ago, Manikandan asked Praveen to arrange a loan of Rs one lakh for business requirements of his father. However, Praveen refused citing his inability to mobilise money. Meanwhile, Praveen’s gold chain went missing a week ago and he suspected Manikandan, who used to frequent his room, to have stolen it.
Therefore, Praveen asked Manikandan to come to his room on some other pretext.
“He along with his friends locked him in the room for three days and assaulted him with a belt. Shocked parents of Manikandan, who came to know this, rushed to Coimbatore and rescued their son. He was then admitted to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) for treatment,” police said.
On receiving information, the Kovilpalayam police visited the hospital and inquired Manikandan. A case has been registered and further inquiries are on.