Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) [India], November 4 (ANI): The Coimbatore Police has arrested three men accused of gang-raping a 20-year-old college student in a suburb of the city, city Commissioner Saravana Sundar confirmed on Tuesday.
The accused, identified as Guna, Karuppasamy, and Karthik alias Kaleeswaran, were shot in the leg during an encounter while trying to escape. They were subsequently taken to the Coimbatore government hospital for treatment.
According to the police, a head constable was also injured in the encounter.
The incident occurred on Sunday night when the victim and her friend were attacked by the three men near the Coimbatore International Airport. The men allegedly kidnapped the student, sexually assaulted her, and later abandoned her. The victim’s friend regained consciousness and alerted the authorities, which led to a rescue operation.
According to police, the three arrived in a vehicle and attacked her friend while the couple were in the area on Sunday night. Following the attack, the men allegedly threatened and kidnapped her.
BJP Mahila Morcha National President Vanathi Srinivasan visited the site of the incident, criticising the police for describing the area as “remote.”
She claimed that the spot has been a hub of anti-social activities and demanded better protection and safety measures from the authorities.
“We are standing at the location where the incident happened yesterday. The car window was broken, and she was taken to a nearby area. This is not a remote location; residential colonies are nearby, and people have easy access to this area. The police are claiming it was a very remote area, but in reality, it is part of the city,” she told ANI.
“Unfortunately, this spot is being used for anti-social activities, and it is the responsibility of the police and local administration to ensure proper protection and safety,” she added.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s General Secretary, Aadhav Arjuna, also condemned the incident, expressing shock and outrage over the alleged gang rape. He emphasised the need for safer public spaces for women and called for action against the perpetrators.
In a post on X, he shared, “The news that a college student in Coimbatore has become a victim of gang rape and violence has caused immense shock. A student studying at a college in Coimbatore was talking with her friend near the Coimbatore airport last Sunday night. At that moment, three individuals who arrived there in an inebriated state severely assaulted the student’s friend who was seated in a car and abducted her.”
According to the TVK leader, the girl was rescued by Peelamedu police station officials after her friend regained consciousness and alerted the authorities.
“Subsequently, they engaged in gang rape and violence in the same area. After a long time, the male friend regained consciousness and informed the Peelamedu police station through his cell phone. The police who arrived at the scene rescued the student and sent her to the hospital,” he added.
He said that this incident served as yet another proof of the unsafe situation that has now arisen in Tamil Nadu, to the extent that women cannot move freely in public spaces. (ANI)
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