In a shocking turn of events, three men accused of raping a college student near Coimbatore airport were shot and arrested by the police on Monday after they allegedly attacked an officer while attempting to escape custody.
The accused — Thavasi, Karuppasamy, and Kaaleeswaran — were cornered near a temple by special police teams. When officers tried to apprehend them, the trio allegedly attacked Head Constable Chandrasekhar with sickles, injuring him on his wrist and arm.
According to officials, the police opened fire in self-defence, injuring all three accused in their legs before taking them into custody. The injured men were later admitted to the Coimbatore District Government Hospital, along with the wounded officer.
The accused, all from Sivagangai district, had been working as daily-wage construction labourers in Coimbatore. Police sources said Karuppasamy and Kaaleeswaran are relatives, and all three already faced pending criminal cases, including murder and theft.
The Night of the Crime
The horrifying incident occurred around 10:45 pm on Sunday when the accused approached a college student and her male friend, who were sitting in a car near the airport.
The trio allegedly attacked the friend, abducted the young woman, and fled the scene in the car. They then took her to a secluded area near the airport, where the gang rape reportedly took place.
Police investigations revealed that before the crime, the accused had consumed alcohol in Irugur, stolen a two-wheeler from Koripalayam, and were carrying sickles.
ALSO READ: ‘This is my home, my family’: Sovan Chatterjee returns to TMC, aide Baisakhi follows him
Coimbatore Police Commissioner Saravana Sundar said the accused had a history of violent crimes and were already out on bail.
“We tracked their movements through more than 300 CCTV cameras. The accused had used alcohol and stolen vehicles before committing the crime,” Sundar said.
He also appealed to the media not to publish the photographs of the accused until the test identification parade is completed, allowing the survivor to identify them in accordance with legal procedure.
The survivor is currently receiving psychological counselling and medical care.
Political Outrage Across Tamil Nadu
The brutal incident has triggered massive political outrage across Tamil Nadu, with opposition leaders blaming the DMK government for deteriorating law and order.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said, “During our regime, Tamil Nadu was the safest state for women. The DMK government has failed to protect them.”
Union Minister L. Murugan called the incident a “horrific reminder” of the increasing crimes against women under the current administration.
BJP state president Nainar Nagendran announced a statewide protest, while Coimbatore South MLA and BJP Mahila Morcha president Vanathi Srinivasan termed the crime “another black mark” on the ruling DMK.
Meanwhile, BJP leader K. Annamalai alleged that since the DMK came to power, “anti-social elements no longer fear the law or the police.”
