Coimbatore: 10-year-old girl abducted, murdered; political blame game erupts
23 May 2026

A 10-year-old girl was found dead near Kannampalayam lake in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore on Friday.

The victim had been missing since Thursday evening when she went out to buy groceries.

Two suspects, Karthik and Mohan Raj, have been arrested in connection with the crime.

The girl's family has demanded justice and protested outside the Sulur police station.

CM Vijay assures strictest punishment for accused
Official response

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay expressed his shock and grief over the incident. He said such "inhuman and unforgivable criminal acts can never be tolerated in our society." The CM also assured that the accused will be given the strictest punishment.

Tamil Nadu Minister MS Sampath also visited the victim's family at ESI Hospital and assured them of ongoing investigations.

DMK slams TN government over rising crime rates
Political fallout

The incident has drawn political attention, with the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) criticizing the new Tamil Nadu government over rising crime rates.

DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin pointed out over 30 major crimes in 12 days under the new administration.

He demanded swift justice for the victim's family, and DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai questioned women's safety under CM Vijay's leadership.

BJP leader defends current government, slams previous DMK administration
Counter-criticism

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Narayanan Thirupathy defended the current government and slammed the previous DMK administration for poor law and order.

He said, "A heinous crime has taken place in Coimbatore where a 10-year-old child was abducted, sexually assaulted, murdered, and dumped-a profound tragedy."

The Tamil Nadu Director General of Police Sandeep Rai Rathore has also rushed to Coimbatore to oversee the investigation.