The Coimbatore police have arrested three men accused of abducting and raping a college student near the Coimbatore airport on Sunday evening, an incident that has sent shockwaves across Tamil Nadu and reignited debate over women’s safety in the state. According to officials, the accused — identified as Guna, Karuppasamy, and Karthik alias Kaleeswaran — were apprehended on the outskirts of the city on Tuesday morning after a brief encounter with police during which officers opened fire, injuring all three in the legs.

Confirming the arrests, Coimbatore City Police Commissioner Saravana Sundar said that the trio tried to flee when police teams closed in on them in Vellakinaru, located on the northern periphery of Coimbatore. “The accused were trying to escape from the spot when police had to shoot them in the leg in Vellakinaru, on the outskirts of Coimbatore city. The injured accused are Guna, Karuppasamy, and Karthik alias Kaleeswaran. All three have been admitted to the Coimbatore Government Hospital for treatment. A head constable was also injured in the encounter,” Commissioner Sundar told reporters.

According to police sources, the accused had criminal records and were wanted in connection with previous offenses. The Peelamedu police tracked them down after analyzing CCTV footage from the area where the student was abducted. Acting on intelligence inputs, police teams located the suspects hiding in an isolated stretch near Vellakinaru. When officers tried to apprehend them, the suspects allegedly attacked a member of the police team and attempted to escape, forcing police to open fire.

Officials told PTI that one of the accused sustained a gunshot wound to one leg, while the other two were injured in both legs. A head constable, who was part of the operation, also sustained minor injuries during the altercation. The police have since recovered weapons and other evidence from the spot and are interrogating the accused once their medical condition stabilizes.

Timeline of the Incident

The crime occurred late on Sunday night, near the Coimbatore airport. According to reports, the victim, a college student, was sitting inside a car with her male friend around 11 p.m. when the three accused suddenly approached the vehicle. The men allegedly broke the window, assaulted the friend, and forcibly abducted the woman. They took her to an isolated area, where they allegedly sexually assaulted her before fleeing the scene.

Police said that the survivor was found and rescued the following morning and has since been admitted to a hospital for medical treatment. “The attack in the car happened around 11 p.m. The survivor was rescued this morning and is currently under treatment. We have formed seven special teams to trace the accused,” a senior police officer told Hindustan Timesearlier.

The shocking assault sparked public outrage and a flurry of political reactions across Tamil Nadu. Residents expressed anger over what they described as a deteriorating law-and-order situation and demanded swift justice for the survivor.

Police Response and Investigation

Following the survivor’s complaint, the Coimbatore police immediately launched an intensive manhunt. Multiple police units were deployed across the district, and footage from surveillance cameras near the airport, highway, and surrounding neighborhoods was analyzed. Within 48 hours, investigators managed to trace the suspects’ movements to the outskirts of the city, where they were eventually cornered.

Authorities said that after the arrests, forensic experts were dispatched to examine the car used in the abduction and collect biological and trace evidence that could strengthen the prosecution’s case. The survivor’s medical examination has been completed, and her statement has been recorded under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before a magistrate.

Political Fallout and Public Reaction

The case has also triggered a political confrontation between the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tamil Nadu. The opposition has accused the state government of failing to maintain law and order and protect women from rising incidents of sexual violence.

BJP Tamil Nadu President K. Annamalai sharply criticized the state administration in a post on X (formerly Twitter), alleging that the DMK regime had emboldened “anti-social elements” who no longer fear the police or legal consequences. “Since the DMK came to power in TN, incidents like these have shown that anti-social elements no longer fear the law or the police. From DMK ministers to police officials, there has been a disturbing pattern of shielding sexual offenders instead of ensuring justice,” Annamalai wrote. He further added that the M.K. Stalin-led government has “utterly failed in both preventing sexual crimes and providing safety for women.”

In response, DMK officials defended the police action, emphasizing that swift arrests and decisive use of force against the accused demonstrated the government’s commitment to ensuring justice. “The police acted without delay, arrested the accused, and ensured that they cannot evade accountability,” a senior DMK leader said. “It is unfortunate that the opposition is politicizing a tragic crime instead of supporting efforts to protect women.”

Public Anger and Calls for Justice

The brutality of the assault and the brazenness with which the accused carried it out have provoked widespread anger across Tamil Nadu. Students, women’s groups, and civil rights activists in Coimbatore and Chennai have called for strict punishment for the perpetrators and systemic measures to ensure women’s safety in public spaces.

“We commend the police for acting quickly, but this case also exposes how unsafe urban areas remain for women, even near major public infrastructure like airports,” said a women’s rights advocate in Coimbatore. “We need stronger preventive mechanisms, not just reactive policing after tragedies.”

The survivor, according to police sources, is under medical care and trauma counseling. She is said to be cooperating with investigators and is being supported by social workers and women’s welfare officers. The police have assured that her identity will remain confidential and that the investigation will proceed with utmost sensitivity.

Broader Implications

This case has reignited debates over sexual violence in Tamil Nadu, particularly concerning the safety of college students and young women in semi-urban areas. Critics argue that while arrests are swift in high-profile cases, systemic changes in policing, awareness, and judicial follow-up are still lacking. “Encounters and gunfire may make headlines, but lasting safety depends on reform, education, and accountability,” said a Chennai-based criminologist.

For now, all three accused remain hospitalized under police guard. Once their medical condition improves, they will be produced before the court and remanded in judicial custody. Police have confirmed that a detailed charge sheet will be filed under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, given the survivor’s student status.

The Coimbatore sexual assault case stands as one of the most disturbing crimes in recent months in Tamil Nadu, highlighting both the urgency of strengthening women’s safety measures and the deep public frustration over recurring instances of sexual violence. The police have pledged to ensure a “watertight case” to secure conviction and justice for the survivor, even as political debate continues to rage over the broader failures that allowed such an attack to occur.