Coimbatore gang-rape: Three accused arrested, shot in legs while trying to flee
Karuppasamy, Kaaleeswaran, and Thavasi were cornered near a temple on Monday night (November 3); the police opened fire after the accused attacked the officers with sickles, injuring a head constable
Three men were arrested on Monday (November 3) for the alleged kidnapping and gange-rape of a college student in Coimbatore on Sunday (November 2).
The accused were shot in the legs by the police after they allegedly attacked an officer while trying to flee. The three accused have been identified as Karuppasamy, Kaaleeswaran, and Thavasi.
Cornered by police
Special police teams surrounded the accused near a temple on Monday night (November 3). When they realised that they were trapped, they attacked the police with sickles, injuring a head constable on his left wrist and arm.
The police opened fire in response, and injured the three accused on their legs before taking them into custody. They were then taken to the District Government Hospital in Coimbatore for treatment. The injured officer has been hospitalised.
Also Read: Timeline of horror: How a late-night chat spiralled into a gang-rape in Coimbatore
A senior police officer told the media that seven police teams had been formed for the manhunt.
Construction workers
The three accused are construction workers in Coimbatore, and are originally from Sivaganga district, according to sources.
Two of them, Karuppasamy and Kaaleeswaran, are said to be related to each other.
Also Read: Student abducted, gang-raped near Coimbatore airport; friend assaulted
All three have pending criminal cases against them.
The rape
The horrific crime occurred on Sunday night near the Coimbatore International airport.
The 19-year-old victim, a first-year student at a private college on Avinashi Road, was in a parked car in a secluded spot with a male student, Vinith, from the same college. They were chatting, unaware that they were being followed by three men who had spotted them earlier in the evening.
The assailants smashed the car windows with iron rods and sticks, pulled a terrified Vinith out of the car and beat him savagely in order to subdue him.
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They then dragged the girl from the vehicle, bundled her into their getaway car, and drove away. They took her to a hideout about 2 km away, and then subjected her to repeated sexual assault.
Vinith managed to flag down a passing motorist, who took him to a nearby clinic, and the police were alerted.
A senior police officer told the media that seven police teams had been formed for the manhunt.