In a significant development, the Coimbatore City Police have invoked the stringent Goondas Act against three men accused of brutally gang-raping a college girl earlier this month. The detention order was executed on Friday night, marking a decisive step by the authorities in this heinous case.
Details of the Crime and Arrest
The horrific incident occurred on the night of November 2 within the premises of the Government Polytechnic College in Coimbatore. According to police officials, the victim, a college student, was targeted along with her boyfriend in an isolated area. The assailants first assaulted the young man before subjecting the woman to a gang rape.
The police swiftly identified and arrested the three accused. They have been named as T Karuppusamy alias Satheesh (30) from Singampunari in Sivaganga district, his brother T Kaleeswaran alias Karthik (21), and their relative M Guna alias Thavasi (20) from Madurai district.
Legal Proceedings and Potential Murder Link
The trio was formally charged under multiple sections of the new Bharata Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including sections 324(4), 140(3), and 309(6), read with several others. After being produced before a judicial magistrate, they were remanded to judicial custody and are currently lodged at the Coimbatore Central Prison.
In a startling twist, the investigation has taken a broader turn. The rural police now suspect the involvement of the same accused in the murder of a 55-year-old herder, M Devaraj, from Kurumbapalayam near Muthugoundenpudur. Consequently, investigators are planning to seek the custody of the three men for further interrogation regarding this separate homicide case.
Invocation of the Goondas Act
Following a recommendation from the investigating officer, City Police Commissioner A Saravana Sundar issued the official order to detain the accused under the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug Offenders, Forest Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Sand Offenders, Slum-grabbers and Video Pirates Act, commonly known as the Goondas Act.
This preventive detention law allows for individuals to be held for up to a year without bail to prevent them from committing further crimes. The order was served on the accused at the prison on Friday night itself, underscoring the seriousness with which the police are treating this case.
The application of the Goondas Act in this sexual assault case highlights the police's intent to ensure the accused cannot seek bail easily and remain off the streets during the trial process. It represents a firm response to growing public concern over violent crimes against women in the region.
