Three arrested after gunfire exchange in Coimbatore gang-rape case

Three men have been arrested in connection with the brutal gang-rape of a postgraduate student near Coimbatore International Airport, following a dramatic police chase and exchange of gunfire early on Tuesday morning. The shocking crime has sparked widespread outrage across Tamil Nadu.

According to police officials, the 21-year-old victim, a first-year postgraduate student from Madurai studying at a private arts college in Coimbatore, had gone out on Sunday night with her boyfriend, a resident of Ondipudur.

The couple had parked their car in Prithvivan Nagar, located behind the airport, and were chatting when the assault took place around 11 p.m.

Three unidentified men approached the parked car and ordered the couple to step out. When they attempted to flee, the assailants smashed the car window and attacked the young man with a sickle, rendering him unconscious.

The men then dragged the terrified woman into a nearby thicket at knifepoint, where they took turns raping her.

When the victim’s boyfriend regained consciousness around 2 a.m., he contacted the police control room through the emergency helpline. A search operation was immediately launched, and the victim was found about a kilometre away, traumatised and injured.

She was taken to a private hospital for treatment, while her boyfriend was admitted to the Coimbatore Government Hospital.

A special team led by the Peelamedu Police formed seven squads to track down the perpetrators. CCTV footage from the vicinity provided crucial leads. Acting on a tip-off, officers traced the suspects, identified as Guna, Satheesh Karuppasamy, and Karthik Kaleeswaran, hiding near the Pattatharasi Amman Temple in Thudiyalur.

When police attempted to apprehend them, the trio allegedly attacked the officers with sickles, injuring Constable Chandrasekar on his arm. In response, Inspectors Arjun (Peelamedu) and Gnanasekaran (Saravanampatti) opened fire, hitting the suspects in the legs. The men were overpowered, arrested, and taken under heavy security to the Coimbatore Government Hospital.

Investigations revealed that all three accused hail from Sivaganga district and had been residing in Irukur, working as daily wage labourers. Police confirmed that Karuppasamy and Kaleeswaran are brothers and that all three have previous criminal records, including cases of murder, assault, and robbery.

Senior officers said the investigation is continuing to determine whether others were involved and to gather forensic evidence from the crime scene. The police have assured that the case will be pursued with utmost urgency and that a charge sheet will be filed swiftly.

The incident has once again reignited discussions about women’s safety in Tamil Nadu, with calls for stronger preventive measures and faster trials in crimes against women.

With IANS inputs