COIMBATORE: While the City Police is busy investigating the rape case of a minor girl, people of Seeranaickenpalayam say that the park in which the girl celebrated her birthday has been witnessing high-levels of anti-social activities due to lack of safety measures.
The newly constructed park is situated at Iswarya Nagar in Seeranaickenpalayam. It falls under ward 15 in the west zone of the city corporation.
Residents of the locality pointed out that such an incident occurred at the place due to lack of security measures.
"It is shocking and not acceptable that something like this has happened in our area. We are scared because most of the families here have girl children.
The park and the nearby isolated place are often used by miscreants. Despite repeated complaints, the police took no action. If they had patrolled the area properly, such a tragedy would not have happened," said a resident.
The residents said three more corporation-owned parks are there in the surrounding and alleged that most of them are unsafe too.
"We do not know when the parks are opened and closed. We see couples occupying the space at all times and sometimes, they go sit at isolated spots that lands them in trouble. The police should ensure that they patrol the area at least once a day," said Sathasivam, another resident.
A senior police official said that of the six persons, four have already been nabbed.
But they suspect the involvement of two other persons suspected to be the prime perpetrators.
This has taken the number of suspects to eight and all of them are from MGR Nagar, Iswarya Nagar and nearby areas.
"The accused persons posed as policemen and threatened the victims. They took the duo to an isolated spot on the pretext of inquiring them. We are suspecting that two of them were working as 'friends of police' earlier," said police sources.