Protesters on Tiruchi Road in front of the Sulur police station early on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The police arrested two persons early on Saturday (May 23, 2026) in connection with the abduction and murder of a 10-year-old girl, whose body was found close to the bund of Kannampalayam tank near Sulur in Coimbatore district on Friday (May 22).
Karthik (33) of Nagapattinam, who has been residing at Pallapalayam near Coimbatore, and his friend Mohanraj were arrested for their alleged involvement in the crime, Inspector General of Police (West Zone) R.V. Ramya Bharathi confirmed to The Hindu.
Further investigation in the case is under way, said a communique issued by the Coimbatore District Police early on Saturday.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Saturday expressed shock over the incident and said he has instructed the police to conduct a swift and thorough investigation.
The protest staged by the public on Tiruchi Road in front of Sulur police station, condemning the abduction and murder of a 10-year-old girl near #Coimbatore, went on for about eight hours till 5 a.m., Saturday. @THChennaipic.twitter.com/k2CWTfDOTI
— Wilson Thomas (@wilson__thomas) May 23, 2026
Suspects known to girl’s family
Police sources said that the suspects were known to the girl’s family and one of them abducted her from her neighbourhood on the pretext of buying her chocolates on Thursday (May 21) evening. The police identified the suspects based on visuals from surveillance cameras.
Meanwhile, the road blockade staged by residents from the girl’s neighbourhood on Tiruchi Road in front of the Sulur police station from 9 p.m. on Friday went on till 5 a.m. on Saturday. The police diverted the traffic along the arterial road through alternative routes.
Senior police officers, including Inspector General of Police (West Zone) R.V. Ramya Bharathi, camped at Sulur police station as the protest went on till 5 a.m. Saturday
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
IG Ramya Bharathi, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Coimbatore Range) P. Saminathan, and Coimbatore District (Rural) Superintendent of Police Allatipalli Pavan Kumar Reddy camped at Sulur till Saturday morning and supervised the investigation by special teams under Deputy Superintendent of Police Karikal Pari Shankar. They also held talks with the protesters. Around 300 police personnel were deployed in the area.
TVK’s Sulur MLA N.M. Sukumar, who visited the protesters late on Friday, assured them that the police would arrest the perpetrators by Saturday morning.
How the crime unfolded
The police said that Karthik from Nagapattinam and Mohanraj from Thanjavur had been residing at Pallapalayam for nearly 10 years. While Karthik had been working as a load man, Mohanraj is a wall painter by occupation.
“It was Karthik who abducted the girl on his two-wheeler by promising her chocolates on Thursday evening. He, along with Mohanraj, later took her to a coconut farm near Kannampalayam tank, where they attempted to assault her sexually. They murdered her when she resisted and screamed for help. They dumped the body near Kannampalayam tank,” said a police officer privy to the investigation.
#Coimbatore girl’s murder: The police said that Karthik fractured his right arm & right leg while attempting to escape. He was admitted to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. Mohanraj was produced before the Sulur Magistrate Court and was sent to judicial remand. @THChennaipic.twitter.com/PMN58UNw97
— Wilson Thomas (@wilson__thomas) May 23, 2026
The officer added that the police were waiting for the findings of the post-mortem examination to ascertain whether the girl was subjected to sexual assault.
Sources added that the two accused were also involved in searches for the girl, launched by her family members and locals, after she was reported missing.
The police claimed that Karthik fractured his right arm and right leg while attempting to escape. He was admitted to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital for treatment. Mohanraj was produced before the Sulur Magistrate Court and was sent to judicial remand.
Published – May 23, 2026 08:03 am IST
