Chennai: The police have formed seven special teams to track the three men who allegedly sexually assaulted a 20-year-old student on Sunday night, a senior official at Coimbatore City Police has told ThePrint. They are also collecting CCTV footage from the area where the incident took place.
On Sunday night, the 20-year-old college student was sitting with her male friend in a car in the area behind the Coimbatore International Airport near Brindavan Nagar, when three men broke the car’s window, assaulted the man and took the girl to a secluded spot in the neighbourhood.
According to Peelamedu Police of the Coimbatore City Police, the three men then sexually assaulted the girl, before escaping from the scene.
Policemen rushed to the spot when the girl’s friend called them and started searching for the girl. She was found unconscious in a deserted area and taken to a private hospital for treatment. The man was admitted to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.
Peelamedu Police have filed a case and are looking for the men who allegedly assaulted the couple.
Meanwhile, the incident has triggered strong political reactions in the state, with opposition leaders slamming the ruling DMK government, alleging deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami condemned the incident and accused the DMK government of failing to ensure the safety of women.
“Crimes against women and children are rising under this regime. The law and order situation has completely collapsed. The chief minister, who also holds the Home portfolio, must take responsibility,” Palaniswami said in a statement.
PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss too expressed shock and demanded stringent action against the perpetrators.
“This horrifying incident shows how unsafe public spaces have become even in major cities like Coimbatore. The government should immediately arrest the accused and ensure they are punished under the strictest provisions of the law,” he said in a post on X.
BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit floor leader Nainar Nagendran went a step ahead and announced a statewide protest on 4 November to condemn the DMK government for failing to protect women in the state.
“Women in Tamil Nadu are living in fear. The state government’s inaction has emboldened criminals. The chief minister should prioritise people’s safety instead of indulging in petty politics,” Nagendran told reporters in Coimbatore.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
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