Relatives of 13-year-old Rohith, who was found dead in Krishnagiri, hold a road blockade in Anchetty on July 3, 2025. Photo: Special Arrangement
A 13-year-old boy, Rohith, was found dead inside a forest at Anchetty in Krishnagiri district on Thursday (July 3, 2025), a day after he had gone missing. This caused his family members and villagers to stage a road blockade. His body was located following an interrogation of the two persons last seen with him.
Rohith, son of Sivaraj of Mavanatti village in Anchetty, and a Class VIII student, went to play with friends on Wednesday (July 2, 2025). During this time, Rohit met the suspects, both named Madevan and aged 21. One was a resident of Mavanatti village, while the other was from a nearby village. Rohith went with them in a car, and they murdered him, the police said.
Speaking to The Hindu, P. Thangadurai, Superintendent of Police, Krishnagiri, said the motive, as claimed by the suspects, who were still under inquiry, was that Rohith had seen one of them talking to a girl from the same village and threatened to report it to the villagers.
“We do not know for sure if that was their motive. Rohith went with them in the car and was driven around for three hours. The suspects then took him to the scene of crime and smothered him to death,” he said. CCTV camera footage of the car and the suspects’ statements led the police to Rohith’s body at the Thiruottu Keezhpallam forest area in Anchetty.
Road blockade
On Thursday morning (July 3, 2025), Rohith’s parents and relatives staged a road blockade in Anchetty, demanding the police find the boy. The family protested the inaction of the police and alleged that they were informed about the missing child at 8 p.m. on Wednesday. By Thursday afternoon, as soon as the body of Rohith was found, tension escalated, with the agitated family members refusing to allow the body to be taken for an autopsy. It was alleged that Rohith could have been saved had the police acted in time.
The two suspects were inquired by the police on Wednesday night. On Thursday morning (July 3, 2025), they were at the police station, when the relatives staged the road blockade. “When they were staging the protest, the two were inside the police station denying any knowledge of Rohith’s whereabouts,” said Mr. Thangadurai. Asked about the family’s allegations of police inaction, he said: “We are inquiring to see if there were any lapses.”
The protests continued into the evening on Thursday (July 3, 2025), when, finally, Rohith’s body was taken to the Krishnagiri Government Medical College Hospital for an autopsy.
Published – July 04, 2025 12:45 am IST
