Coimbatore Horror: 10-Year-Old Girl Abducted Found Dead Near Pond; Family Protests For Hours As 2 Arrested, CM Vijay Orders Swift Probe

A shocking case from Coimbatore has triggered widespread outrage after a 10-year-old girl, who had gone missing from the Sulur area, was found dead with injuries near a pond, prompting emotional protests by her family and residents demanding justice.

The child’s relatives suspect sexual assault and have called for the strictest possible punishment for the accused. Police have arrested two men in connection with the abduction and murder, while Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has condemned the incident as “horrific” and ordered an immediate and thorough investigation.

Girl Went Missing After Going to a Nearby Shop

According to family members, the girl disappeared two days ago after returning from a nearby shop in Pallapalayam, in the Sulur region of Coimbatore district.

Her uncle, Palanisamy, said the family only received information about her disappearance late on Thursday night.

“Only last night did we get information that the girl was missing. After reaching here, we came to know that she had allegedly been kidnapped and that two persons had been arrested,” he said outside ESI Hospital, where the girl’s body was taken for examination.

Initially informed that the child was missing, the family was later told that her body had been found near the shore of Kannampalayam Lake, leaving them devastated and desperate for answers.

Body Found Near Pond, Police Suspect Strangulation

According to police, the child had been playing outside her house before she disappeared.

Her parents and relatives later found her body near a pond, with visible injuries.

Authorities suspect the girl may have been strangled to death, though the final post-mortem report is awaited. Family members have also raised fears that she may have been sexually assaulted.

Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.

Two Accused Arrested After CCTV Footage Review

Police have arrested two suspects identified as Karthick (33), a daily wage worker from Nagapattinam, and Mohanraj.

Investigators said CCTV footage from the area played a key role in reconstructing the sequence of events and identifying the accused.

The two men were produced before Sulur Judge Arunkumar, who remanded them to judicial custody until May 27.

Police said the girl was allegedly lured while heading to a shop before being abducted and killed.

Family, Residents Protest Outside Sulur Police Station

Anger over the incident quickly spilled onto the streets, with the girl’s family and hundreds of local residents staging a protest outside Sulur Police Station and on a nearby national highway.

The demonstration continued for more than five hours, causing significant traffic disruptions and diversions in the area.

Video footage from the protest showed emotionally charged scenes, with grieving family members confronting police officers amid growing public outrage.

A relative, Senthil Kumar, alleged that police removed protesters from the site and took the victim’s parents to the police station for what he described as a possible “compromise.”

“We told them not to sign any papers and not to receive anything. We want justice and want to see what punishment is given to these accused individuals,” he said.

CM Vijay Calls Incident ‘Horrific,’ Promises Severe Punishment

Reacting to the case, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay expressed deep shock and sorrow, calling the murder an “inhuman and unforgivable” crime.

“The horrific incident that occurred to a 10-year-old girl in Coimbatore causes immense pain and shock. Such criminal acts can never be tolerated in our society,” he said in a post on X.

The Chief Minister confirmed that both suspects had been arrested and directed police to conduct a swift and thorough investigation, with instructions to file the chargesheet as quickly as possible.

He also assured that the state government would ensure strict legal punishment for those responsible.

Published on: Saturday, May 23, 2026, 04:54 PM IST