S.R. Varunkanth, a 24-year-old man admitted to Yuthira Charitable Trust (Special Children Care and Training Centre) in Pollachi, was brutally beaten to death by staff and trustees of the rehabilitation centre. The incident occurred on May 12, and police have arrested four individuals in connection with the murder.

Varunkanth, who had Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), was admitted by his family on February 4, 2025. The parents were allowed to visit once every six months. On May 15, Varunkanth’s father, Ravikumar, was informed that his son had gone missing when inmates were taken to Aliyar dam. Later, video evidence surfaced showing Varunkanth severely beaten by staff members.

Police investigations revealed that Varunkanth’s refusal to comply with staff orders—specifically about not accompanying other inmates to a theme park in Mettupalayam—led to his aggressive behavior. In response, staff members assaulted him repeatedly with cricket bats and plastic pipes until he lost consciousness and died.

The accused, including trustees Giriram (36), Senthil Babu (54), staff member Nithish (26), and caretaker Ranganayaki (36), confessed to the crime. They had wrapped Varunkanth’s body in plastic and buried it near Nadupuni in S Nagore. The decomposed body was exhumed, and postmortem examination was conducted.

Six special police teams were formed to investigate, and all accused have been taken into custody.