The Madras High Court on Thursday ruled against the necessity of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the recent child sexual assault and murder case in Coimbatore, stating that the ongoing investigation is proceeding in the right direction. The court’s decision came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that had sought the formation of an SIT, citing alleged police lapses and demanding an independent inquiry.
The case, which has sent shockwaves across Tamil Nadu, involves the abduction, sexual assault, and murder of a 10-year-old girl in the Sulur area of Coimbatore district. Information was available with The Chenab Times indicating that the incident occurred on May 21, 2026, when the girl, a Class 5 student, went missing while playing near her home. Her body was discovered the following day.
Following the discovery, police formed multiple teams and, within 24 hours, arrested two individuals: K. Karthi, 33, from Nagapattinam, and R. Mohan, 31, from Thanjavur district. Initial reports confirmed that the girl had been subjected to sexual assault before being murdered. Karthi, identified as the prime accused and a neighbour acquaintance of the victim’s family, allegedly confessed to luring the child, sexually assaulting her, and then murdering her in a coconut grove near Kannampalayam lake. He sustained fractures to his right arm and leg while attempting to escape from the police by jumping from the first floor of an apartment complex, and was admitted to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital for treatment. Mohan was remanded in judicial custody.
The swift action by the police, including the analysis of CCTV footage, led to the early apprehension of the suspects. The Tamil Nadu government, through Advocate General Vijay Narayan, assured the Madras High Court that high-level discussions were underway to implement stringent measures against crimes targeting women and children. The government also stated that “anybody who harms a child will not be spared,” as reported by The Hindu.
The PIL, filed by a petitioner named Chokkalingam, had highlighted concerns that the investigation might be hampered by external pressures or that police had not acted with the requisite sensitivity. The petitioner had also drawn parallels to other cases where SITs were formed, such as the Anna University student and Chennai minor girl sexual assault cases. Furthermore, the petition had requested a media gag on reporting the case, citing potential prejudice to the investigation from information circulating on social media.
However, the Madras High Court’s decision to dismiss the need for an SIT suggests confidence in the current investigative framework. The court’s stance implies that the existing police machinery is deemed capable of conducting a thorough and impartial inquiry. The case also saw the invocation of the Goondas Act against the two accused, K. Karthi and R. Mohan, who were detained under this stringent law while their judicial remand was extended.
The investigation has been expedited, with police aiming to file the chargesheet within 30 days of the incident. Senior police officials, including Inspector General of Police (West Zone) R.V. Ramya Bharathi, have been involved in reviewing the progress of the investigation.
This case has drawn significant public attention and condemnation, leading to calls for swift justice. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had earlier termed the incident “horrific” and assured stringent action against those responsible, directing the police to file the chargesheet without delay. The National Commission for Women (NCW) had also sought a report within seven days regarding the incident.
The legal proceedings also bring to light previous cases of sexual assault in the region. In a separate development, the Tamil Nadu government informed the Madras High Court that it intends to file a curative petition against the acquittal of an engineering graduate in the 2017 sexual assault and murder of a seven-year-old girl at Mugalivakkam in Chennai. This indicates a broader context of legal actions and government responses to severe crimes against children in the state.
The court’s decision to uphold the current investigation underscores the legal system’s approach to such sensitive cases, balancing the need for public confidence with the procedural requirements of justice.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
