Chennai : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Saturday expressed deep anguish over the abduction and murder of a 10-year-old girl in Coimbatore, calling it a "horrific incident" and directing the police to carry out a swift and thorough investigation into the case.
In a post on X, the Chief Minister condemned the crime and assured of strict action against those involved. "The horrific incident that occurred yesterday to a 10-year-old girl in Coimbatore causes immense pain and shock. Such inhuman and unforgivable criminal acts can never be tolerated in our society. I share my deepest condolences with the relatives of the family of the little girl who is grieving the loss of their dear child," he said.
The Chief Minister also confirmed that arrests have been made in the case. "Two culprits related to this case have been arrested. I have directed the police to conduct a thorough and expeditious investigation into the incident and to take all necessary actions to file the chargesheet immediately," he said.
Reiterating the government's stance on strict punishment, he said, "The Tamil Nadu government will firmly act to ensure that those who engage in such heinous acts against women and children receive severe punishment under the law. All immediate and necessary actions for this will be taken."
Police have arrested two accused, identified as Karthick and Mohanraj, in connection with the murder. According to police, the girl had gone missing while playing in front of her house. Her parents and relatives later found her body near a pond, triggering tension in the area. Family members suspected sexual assault and demanded strict action against those responsible.
Sulur police registered a case and sent the body to the Government Hospital for post-mortem examination. Police suspect that the child may have been strangled to death. The body of the girl has been kept at ESI Hospital in Varadharajapuram for post-mortem examination, while a heavy police deployment has been made outside the hospital. Alongside, parents and relatives staged a protest on a National Highway near the Sulur Police Station, demanding justice for the victim, leading to traffic congestion before police intervened and held talks with the protesters.