Coimbatore woke up in shock after a brutal crime shattered its image as one of Tamil Nadu's safest cities. A 19-year-old under graduate student from a private college was allegedly gang-raped by three men near the Coimbatore International Airport late Sunday night.
Police said the woman was with her boyfriend inside a parked car near Brindhavan Nagar - SIHS Colony Road around 11 p.m. when three men arrived on a stolen two-wheeler. They smashed the car window, attacked the man, and abducted the woman to a secluded area.
A few hours later, police traced the victim behind a private college close to the airport. She was found unconscious and rushed to a private hospital near SITRA. Her friend, who sustained injuries, was admitted to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.
Senior officers visited the spot early Monday and formed seven special teams to nab the culprits. Investigators confirmed that the trio had stolen a motorbike earlier that night before committing the assault.
Public and Political Reactions
The incident has triggered statewide outrage and political condemnation.
Former BJP state president K. Annamalai said the attack reflects the DMK government's "failure to protect women" and claimed criminals "no longer fear the law."
AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to ensure swift justice, while PMK president Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss blamed the spread of drugs for the rise in sexual crimes.
The All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) also condemned the incident, saying sexual assaults against young women in Coimbatore appear to be on the rise.