COIMBATORE, 4 Nov 2025 –
A 20-year-old college student was allegedly abducted and gang-raped near Coimbatore International Airport during the intervening night of November 2 and 3. Three men have been arrested after a dramatic police operation in which they were shot in the legs while attempting to flee.
Incident Overview
According to the Coimbatore City Police, the student and her 25-year-old boyfriend were in the Vellakinar/Thudiyalur area, near the airport, when the accused confronted them. The trio allegedly assaulted the boyfriend, forced the woman into their vehicle and drove her to a secluded vacant land near the airport where the assault took place.
The accused — identified as Guna alias Thavasi, Karupasamy alias Satheesh and Kaleeswaran alias Karthik — were employed in construction work in the Irugur area about 4 km from the crime spot.
When police teams attempted to apprehend them early Tuesday, they reportedly attacked officers with weapons. In the ensuing confrontation, the police shot the three in their legs before taking them into custody.
The student has been admitted for treatment and is being supported by the authorities. Further investigation is underway.
Law Enforcement Response & Investigation
A multi-pronged police operation was launched immediately after the crime was reported. Seven special teams were formed to track down the suspects and sift through CCTV footage, mobile phone records and labour-camp registries.
Commissioner A. Saravana Sundar confirmed the arrest of the accused and said the encounter occurred after an attempt to escape.
Authorities are probing whether the area near the airport, which includes vacant lands and construction camps, provides easy opportunities for such crimes. The accused reportedly hail from neighbouring districts and were staying in rental accommodations near Coimbatore.
Public Reaction & Safety Concerns
The incident has sparked sharp outrage in Tamil Nadu. Political leaders, women’s rights activists and student groups have demanded immediate action, emphasising that the crime took place in a supposedly secure zone near a major airport.
Local communities have raised questions about surveillance, safety lighting, and deserted land patches near urban fringes that may facilitate criminal acts. This case is seen as a major failure in preventing crimes against women even in seemingly public areas.
What Happens Next
- The accused are currently under medical treatment and will be detained under appropriate legal sections once declared fit.
- Investigators will examine the timelines, mode of operation, involvement of any accomplices and the role of the terrain or labour-camp environment in enabling this crime.
- Authorities may step up patrols, increase CCTV coverage and improve lighting in vulnerable zones near the airport, vacant lands and labour settlements.
- Victim-support efforts including counselling, legal aid and medical care will likely be reinforced.
Conclusion
This horrifying assault near the Coimbatore airport area underlines ongoing vulnerabilities around women’s safety in public spaces. With the accused now under arrest and a full-scale investigation launched, the hope is that this case becomes a turning point for improved security measures and stronger protection for students and young women in Tamil Nadu.