The day after a 10-year-old girl in Coimbatore was abducted and killed, the Inspector General of Police for the West Zone held a press conference on Saturday (May 23), and said that based on CCTV evidence, the 33-year-old accused Karthi took the missing child along with him. During the interrogation, Karthi confessed that he lured the child, sexually assaulted her, and murdered her.
A 10-year-old girl, who had been missing since Thursday evening (May 21), was found dead with injuries near Kannampalayam lake in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore. The police have arrested two accused, who allegedly kidnapped the girl while she was playing and later killed her.
The IGP RV Ramya Bharathi said that one of the accused, Karthi, is a native of the Nagapattinam district, is not settled in Coimbatore, and is also a neighbor and acquaintance of the victim’s family, according to an ANI report.
How Police Nabbed The Accused?
The accused Karthi, who was hiding on the first floor of Maria Rose Garden Apartments at Kannampalayam, was surrounded by the special police team. In an attempt to escape from the police, he jumped from upstairs, resulting in fractures in his right hand and right leg. He was arrested, the inspector told ANI news agency.
#WATCH | Coimbatore | On the abduction and murder of 10-year-old girl in Coimbatore, Inspector General of Police (IGP) for the West Zone of the Tamil Nadu Police, R.V. Ramya Bharathi says, "…Analysis of the CCTV cameras, footages in the nearby vicinity, and the technical… pic.twitter.com/mq15MInGbg
— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2026
What Accused Confessed?
During the interrogation, the accused Karthi confessed that he had lured the child, sexually assaulted her and subsequently murdered her.
“Further investigation also revealed the involvement of another accused, namely Mohan, aged 30 years. He had allegedly assisted the main accused, Karthi,” the officials said during the press conference.
Further, Karthi has been admitted to the Coimbatore Government Medical College Hospital for further treatment. As the case pertains to the assault of a minor child, the case is being altered to include the provisions of the POCSO Act, and stringent action is being undertaken,” they added.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay Reacts
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay reacted to the horrific incident, saying that it had shocked him. Calling it “inhuman and unforgivable criminal acts”, he said that it can never be tolerated in our society.
“I share my deepest condolences with the relatives of the family of the little girl who is grieving the loss of their dear child. Two suspects in this case have been arrested. I have directed the police to conduct a thorough and expeditious investigation into the incident and to take all necessary actions to file the chargesheet immediately,” he wrote in his post on X.