COIMBATORE: Following a day-long investigation into an alleged kidnapping of a woman at Irugur, police confirmed that it was a heated argument between a couple. A portion of this incident, an argument between a couple, was misinterpreted and circulated in the media as a woman’s abduction.
The city police control room received a tip-off that a woman was abducted on Thursday night by unidentified persons in a car. A woman who was passing by witnessed this incident and alerted the police. Police teams from Singanallur and other adjoining police limits rushed to the spot and conducted an investigation. They examined CCTV footage in the locality to trace the identities of the woman and the people who allegedly abducted her in a car.
The incident garnered political attention since it was reported within a week of a 20-year-old college girl’s sexual assault incident, which also happened in the adjacent Peelamedu police limit. Opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss and BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan condemned the incident and raised questions about women’s safety in Coimbatore. They also accused the state government of failing to protect women in the state.
Meanwhile, special teams conducted a search across all road sections, including AG Pudur, Irugur Road, Trichy Road, and Sulur Road. They examined footage from more than 200 CCTV cameras in the area and finally traced the vehicle and the people travelling in it. Upon questioning them, it was revealed that no one was abducted.
Meanwhile, police on Friday evening released an audio recording of the phone conversation with the woman who had alerted the police on Thursday night. In the audio clip, the woman says that she does not think it was an abduction, and it may be a family issue between the people. During the investigation, it was found that the people in the car belonged to a family from Ondipudur, police said.
“A quarrel had broken out between the husband and wife over purchasing groceries. Near AG Pudur Junction, they stopped the car and continued arguing. While driving away, still in the middle of the verbal spat, their loud shouting was overheard by a passerby. Mistaking it for the woman being abducted, the person immediately informed the police control room,” police said in their release.
Opposition slams govt over women safety
CHENNAI: Opposition parties, including AIADMK, PMK, and AMMK, on Friday expressed concern over women’s safety in the state. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said the incident, coming just days after the report of a college student’s sexual assault in the same city, reflected a total collapse of law and order under the DMK regime.
“Back-to-back crimes show that criminals have no fear of the law or police action. Women in Tamil Nadu are living in fear, unable to move freely, while the DMK projects itself as a government for women,” he said in a post on X.
He urged the government to expedite the investigation, trace the abducted woman, and take stern action against those involved. PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss condemned the alleged lethargic response of the police and urged them to act immediately to rescue the woman before any harm occurs. AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran also demanded swift action and intensified police patrolling to ensure women’s safety in the state.