Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu – A pall of shock and grief has descended upon Sulur, a town near Coimbatore, following the abduction and subsequent murder of a 10-year-old girl. In response to the heinous crime, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has expressed his deep anguish and has ordered a swift and thorough investigation into the incident, vowing that those responsible will face stringent punishment.
The chilling incident came to light when the girl, a Class V student, went missing on Thursday evening while playing in front of her residence. A frantic search by her family and neighbours yielded no results, prompting them to file a missing person report with the Sulur police late on Thursday night. The situation took a tragic turn on Friday evening when her body was discovered in the Kannampalayam tank, located near her neighbourhood.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that preliminary investigations revealed the girl was allegedly abducted by two individuals, identified as Karthik (33) from Nagapattinam and his friend Mohanraj, who have been residing in the Pallapalayam area near Coimbatore for about a decade. Police sources indicate that Karthik, a load man by occupation, lured the child away on his two-wheeler by promising her chocolates. Mohanraj, a wall painter, was allegedly complicit in the subsequent events.
According to police, the accused took the girl to a coconut farm near the Kannampalayam tank, where they allegedly attempted to sexually assault her. When the child resisted and screamed for help, they murdered her and dumped her body in the tank. The motive behind the brutal act is under intense scrutiny, with police awaiting the post-mortem examination report to ascertain if sexual assault preceded the murder.
The discovery of the girl’s body led to widespread outrage, with residents from her neighbourhood staging a road blockade on Tiruchi Road in front of the Sulur police station. The protest, which began on Friday night, continued for over nine hours into Saturday morning, causing significant traffic disruption and necessitating diversions. Protesters demanded immediate and strict action against the perpetrators.
Senior police officials, including Inspector General Ramya Bharathi, Deputy Inspector General P. Saminathan, and Coimbatore District Rural Superintendent of Police Allatipalli Pavan Kumar Reddy, were present at Sulur to supervise the investigation and engage with the protesting residents. Special teams have been formed to expedite the probe, with surveillance camera footage from the locality playing a crucial role in identifying the accused and the vehicle used in the abduction.
In an attempt to evade arrest, Karthik reportedly sustained injuries, including fractures to his right arm and leg, while attempting to escape by climbing a building. He was admitted to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital for treatment under police guard. Mohanraj was produced before the Sulur Magistrate Court and remanded to judicial custody. Police have registered a case under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The incident has drawn condemnation from political leaders. Leader of the Opposition, Udhayanidhi Stalin, remarked that the rising crime rate in Tamil Nadu, with over 30 major incidents reported in the first 12 days of the new government’s term, raises serious concerns about the state’s law and order situation. AMMK chief T.T.V. Dhinakaran also urged the Tamil Nadu government to take severe action against the culprits, labelling the crime as a grave societal issue and highlighting the need for increased attention to women’s safety.
The Tamil Nadu government, under Chief Minister Stalin, has reiterated its commitment to ensuring justice for the victim and her family. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities determined to apprehend all individuals involved and ensure they are brought to justice under the full extent of the law.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
