Coimbatore: A 10-year-old girl was sexually assaulted and brutally murdered in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore district, triggering widespread shock and outrage across the state, with Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Saturday assuring strict action against those responsible.
Police said a 33-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting and killing the child has been arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and other charges, including murder. Another man has been arrested for allegedly conspiring and assisting in the crime.
Describing the incident as “horrific”, CM Vijay said such inhuman and unforgivable acts could never be tolerated.
“I share my deepest condolences with the family of the girl,” he said in a statement, adding that the government would ensure severe punishment under the law for those involved in crimes against women and children.
“All immediate and necessary actions for this will be taken,” the Chief Minister asserted.
The incident also drew sharp reactions from opposition leaders, including Udhayanidhi Stalin, Edappadi K Palaniswami, TTV Dhinakaran and Anbumani Ramadoss, all of whom condemned the crime and demanded stringent action.
Calling the incident “heinous”, Udhayanidhi Stalin said the murder had sent shockwaves across the country and that demands for justice were echoing from all quarters.
Palaniswami criticised the state government, saying it must focus not only on publicity measures regarding women’s safety but also on building effective protection systems.
“This government must act not as a ‘reels’ government but as a real government,” the former Chief Minister said, while demanding the strictest punishment for the accused and stronger measures to prevent such crimes.
A resolution passed during a consultative meeting of the DMK Youth Wing also attacked the ruling TVK government over the law and order situation, alleging that more than 30 incidents of murder, robbery and sexual assault had occurred since the party assumed power earlier this month.
According to police, the girl went missing around 5 pm on May 21 while playing outside her house within the limits of the Sulur Police Station near Coimbatore. A complaint was registered later that evening and five special police teams were immediately formed to trace her.
Investigators scanned CCTV footage and used technological assistance during the probe. Police later identified the main accused as K Karthi, a native of Nagapattinam district and an acquaintance of the victim’s family, who allegedly lured the child away.
He was subsequently tracked down and arrested from an apartment complex where he was hiding.
West Zone Inspector General of Police R V Ramya Bharathi said the accused suffered fractures in his arm and leg after allegedly jumping from the first floor while trying to escape from police custody. He is currently undergoing treatment at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.
An official police release said that during interrogation, the main accused confessed to luring the 10-year-old girl, sexually assaulting her and later strangling her to death in a coconut grove near a pond.
Police further said that investigations revealed that R Mohan (30) had allegedly assisted the accused in committing the crime. He was subsequently arrested and remanded in judicial custody.
Speaking to reporters in Coimbatore, West Zone Inspector General of Police R V Ramya Bharathi said the arrests were made within 24 hours of receiving the complaint.
“Initially, it was registered as a missing girl case and later turned into a sexual assault and murder case,” she said.
The police official added that the crime took place in an isolated private farm area located beside a large lake near Coimbatore. She said the investigation was still underway and efforts were being made to file the chargesheet at the earliest, expedite the trial process and ensure justice for the victim and her family.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women said it has taken cognizance of the abduction and murder of the 10-year-old girl in Coimbatore, located about 500 km from state capital Chennai, and has sought from the Tamil Nadu DGP, a detailed Action Taken Report within seven days.
Strongly condemning the incident, the national panel said it has directed the Tamil Nadu authorities to conduct the investigation with the utmost sensitivity and urgency.
With PTI inputs