A 19-year-old college student in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, was allegedly abducted and gang raped by three men near the airport area late on the night of Sunday, November 2, 2025. The student was reportedly with her male friend in a parked car when the assailants approached on a two-wheeler, attacked the friend, broke a car window, forcibly took the student away, and sexually assaulted her in a secluded location nearby.
The friend immediately alerted the police after the assault. Authorities launched a massive search operation and rescued the survivor around 4 a.m. from a deserted area near a private college behind the airport. She was admitted to a private hospital and is currently under medical and psychological care.
The police formed seven special teams to track down and arrest the suspects, who earlier had stolen a two-wheeler used to flee the scene. The friend was hospitalized for injuries sustained in the attack, while the police continue to investigate and analyse CCTV footage and witness statements.
Incident Details and Police Response
The Coimbatore City Police Commissioner V Balakrishnan termed the incident “a grave violation” and reassured the public of swift action. Police accounts state that the three accused arrived on a stolen two-wheeler near Coimbatore International Airport around 11 p.m. They targeted the student and her friend who were in the car in a relatively isolated area called Brindh Nagar-SHS Colony.
The assailants assaulted the male friend and kidnapped the woman after forcibly making their way into the vehicle by breaking its window with a rock. After carrying out the sexual assault at an isolated spot, the perpetrators abandoned the survivor without clothes. The victim was found unconscious and rescued after a thorough police search initiated upon the friend’s alert.
The injured friend was admitted to the government Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. Police investigations are ongoing with seven teams deployed across the city to nab the accused, focusing on technical leads and CCTV footage. Authorities emphasise the need for community vigilance in preventing such crimes.
Public Outcry and Political Reactions
The incident has sparked significant outrage and grief across Coimbatore and Tamil Nadu. Women’s rights activists and student groups have demanded heightened night patrolling, better street lighting, and more police presence in vulnerable areas like the airport vicinity.
Local residents have expressed concern over repeated cases of harassment and violence in the area, urging authorities to implement stricter security protocols. Politically, former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai strongly condemned the assault, attributing it to the failure of the ruling DMK government to protect women.
He criticised the government for the deteriorating law and order situation and alleged bias in police functioning. Calls for justice and rapid investigation have poured in from across social and political spectra, emphasizing that no society can tolerate such blatant violations of women’s safety and dignity.
Historical Context: Sexual Crimes in Coimbatore
This recent assault echoes earlier high-profile cases of sexual violence reported in Coimbatore, a city with a troubling record of crimes against women. Earlier in February 2025, seven male college students were arrested for gang-raping a 17-year-old girl after befriending her over social media platforms. That case highlighted predatory behaviour enabled by online interactions and street-level impunity.
Moreover, the infamous 2019 Pollachi sexual assault case, also in Coimbatore district, involved a gang sexually assaulting and blackmailing scores of women, exposing systemic failures in policing and social protection. The victims of the Pollachi case received compensation from the Tamil Nadu government in 2025, but the community remains vigilant about ongoing risks to women’s safety.
This wave of assaults underlines the urgent need for comprehensive preventive measures, including better public security, gender sensitization, and emotional support to survivors.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The Logical Indian unequivocally condemns this horrific crime and stands firmly with survivors and all who advocate for a just, compassionate society. Sexual violence is a grievous violation of human rights and dignity that fractures the moral fabric of communities.
Beyond demanding stringent law enforcement and legal justice, it is vital to nurture an environment of empathy, mutual respect, and collective responsibility. Public safety is a shared duty transcending political divides and individual apathy.
Educational institutions, law enforcement, civil society, and citizens must collaborate proactively to safeguard vulnerable groups and foster inclusive public spaces.
