A 19-year-old college student was allegedly abducted and gang-raped by three men near the Coimbatore International Airport late Sunday night. The incident occurred around 11 pm when the victim was sitting in a car with her male friend near the airport area. Three men, reportedly on a stolen motorbike, approached them, attacked the friend, forcibly dragged the victim away, and abducted her.
The victim was taken to an isolated location approximately a kilometer from the airport, where the men allegedly sexually assaulted her. The accused warned her not to disclose the crime to anyone before fleeing the scene. Her friend, who had sustained severe injuries during the attack, managed to reach the police station to alert authorities. A large-scale search was immediately launched, leading to the student being found unconscious in a secluded area at around 4 am. She was rushed to a nearby private hospital and is currently undergoing treatment.
The police have formed seven special teams dedicated to tracking and apprehending the suspects, who remain on the run. Authorities are examining CCTV footage and questioning potential witnesses to gather leads.
The incident has triggered outrage and criticism across the political spectrum in Tamil Nadu. Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai condemned the assault as deeply shocking, attributing it to the failure of the state’s ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government to provide safety for women. Annamalai accused the government of allowing anti-social elements to operate with impunity and urged the chief minister to take responsibility for the deteriorating law and order situation.
This case adds to growing concerns about the safety of women in Tamil Nadu, which has witnessed several high-profile sexual crimes in recent months. In an unrelated incident earlier this year, seven college students were arrested for allegedly assaulting a 17-year-old girl under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The Coimbatore police continue their investigation while intensifying efforts to bring the culprits to justice, assuring the public that the case will be treated with utmost seriousness.
