Tamil Nadu engineering student's murder sparks political row over alleged drug abuse in campus

The brutal murder of a 19-year-old mechatronics engineering student, whose family claimed he had exposed drug abuse on campus, has sparked a political controversy in Tamil Nadu, with the Opposition DMK raising the issue in the Legislative Assembly. Amid protests by student organisations, both the college management and police have denied any drug-related motive for the killing, saying the attack stemmed from personal enmity and a retaliatory clash.

Police have arrested eight in connection with the murder and launched a hunt for 11 others who are absconding. According to police, preliminary post-mortem findings at Singanallur ESI Hospital showed that the victim suffered severe blunt-force injuries from iron rods and wooden logs, resulting in fatal internal bleeding and acute respiratory failure. The student's father, Kennedy, alleged that his son was targeted because he had exposed drug abuse and ganja trafficking on the college campus. The family also alleged that the college management and local police had pressured him to identify students involved in drug abuse and later leaked his identity to the accused. Police, however, said a preliminary inquiry indicated that the attack was linked to a retaliatory clash arising from a senior-junior dispute.

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Forced to provide names regarding drug abuse

According to police, a group of students targeted the victim after suspecting him of involvement in a masked phone-snatching and extortion incident on the morning of August 10.

The victim, a third-year student at a private engineering college here, was intercepted near Malumichampatti and dragged to a nearby ground, where a group of youths allegedly assaulted him with iron rods and wooden logs. He managed to return to his room but developed severe respiratory distress later that afternoon and was declared dead at a private hospital. The murder has given rise to two sharply conflicting narratives over the motive behind the attack. "My son was forced to provide names regarding drug abuse on campus. His identity was leaked to the perpetrators, leading to his brutal death," Kennedy alleged.

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The college administration, meanwhile, said the victim and another student had been suspended on July 24 following an incident on July 21, in which they allegedly assaulted hostel cook Manoj after violating the campus curfew. The management said it was unaware that the victim was staying in a rented room near Othakkalmandapam after being evicted from the hostel and claimed it learnt about the assault only on August 10, when he was taken to hospital. The college has handed over details of 15 other students to police to help identify those involved in the clash. The issue was raised in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, leading to heated exchanges between the government and the Opposition. Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin raised the issue in the House and demanded accountability, citing the family's allegation that the student was targeted for acting as an informant against campus drug peddlers.

Minister for School Education, Tamil Development, Information and Publicity, A Rajmohan rejected the allegation, saying the investigation so far indicated a localised retaliatory clash between student groups. Speaker J C D Prabhakar directed Rajmohan to submit a detailed report during an upcoming call-attention motion. Opposition parties have demanded an independent, high-level inquiry into the incident.