COIMBATORE: Five prisoners, who attacked the prime accused in the sexual assault and murder of a ten-year-old girl in Coimbatore Central Prison has been shifted to various other prisons across Tamil Nadu.
The prime accused, Karthik (34), sustained grievous injuries after being attacked by fellow inmates armed with steel plates, spoons and tumblers while on his way to lunch on Saturday noon. The inmates folded the steel plates into sharp-edged weapons to attack him. Alerted by his cries for help, prison wardens rushed to the scene and rescued him. By then, the attackers had fled back to their cells.
Soon, Karthik was taken to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), where he is still under intensive treatment. Based on a complaint, the Race Course police have registered a case, and further inquiries are on.
Inquiries by prison authorities revealed that five inmates had attacked Karthik, enraged by his brutal murder of a 10-year-old girl in Sulur near Coimbatore on May 21. Police also arrested his accomplice, Mohanraj (31), for allegedly concealing the crime.
Karthik suffered fractures to his arm and leg after jumping from the first floor of a building where he was hiding when police closed in on him on May 22. After receiving treatment at CMCH, he was lodged in Coimbatore Central Prison on May 29. He came under attack a day later.
Following the incident, the five prisoners involved in the attack were shifted to Salem, Trichy and Vellore central prisons on Sunday. Meanwhile, prison authorities claimed to have enhanced monitoring to ensure strict vigil in the prison premises to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.