Published Jun 15, 2026 | 2:26 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 15, 2026 | 2:26 PM
Child sexual abuse. (iStock)
Synopsis: Tamil Nadu is witnessing a worrying surge in crimes against children, with multiple sexual assault cases involving minors reported across the state, including three separate incidents on June 15 alone. The incidents have sparked political backlash, with opposition leaders questioning the effectiveness of the government’s newly launched Singappen Special Task Force amid growing concerns over child safety.
Crimes against women and children in Tamil Nadu continue to witness an alarming rise, with multiple disturbing incidents of sexual abuse against children surfacing from different parts of the state on Monday, 15 June alone.
At least three separate cases involving minors being sexually assaulted have emerged in a single day, triggering serious concerns over child safety in the state.
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One of the most shocking incidents was reported from Gummidipoondi SIPCOT near Chennai, where a three-year-old girl died at Stanley Government Hospital on Monday after allegedly being sexually assaulted.
The child, belonging to a migrant worker family residing in the SIPCOT industrial area, went missing on Sunday and was later found injured in a nearby bush. She was initially admitted to the Government Hospital in Gummidipoondi before being shifted to Stanley Government Hospital in Chennai for advanced treatment. However, she succumbed to her injuries.
Police have arrested 19-year-old Bipin Manjhi, a native of Bihar, in connection with the case.
In another disturbing incident near Poonamallee, police arrested a private car driver under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for allegedly sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl.
The victim, the daughter of a daily wage labourer couple, studies in Class 1 at a nearby government school. According to reports, while playing near her house, the child returned home crying from a nearby cremation ground.
When questioned by her parents, she reportedly revealed that a man identified as Saravanan from the same locality had taken her to the cremation ground and sexually assaulted her.
The parents immediately alerted police control room officials, following which police detained Saravanan for questioning. There were allegations that women police officials initially handled the complaint negligently. Subsequently, Woman Inspector Prema registered a POCSO case against Saravanan, and further investigation is underway.
Another case surfaced from Manimangalam near Chennai, where a 10-year-old girl was allegedly sexually harassed in Athanur.
According to initial information, a 43-year-old migrant worker from Bihar, identified as Jaishanth, allegedly assaulted the child while working as a labourer in the area.
Police led by Manimangalam Assistant Commissioner MG Sundar arrested the accused and are currently interrogating him at a secret location.
These incidents are part of a worrying trend of increasing crimes against children across Tamil Nadu over the past month.
On 21 May, a brutal case from Coimbatore shocked the state after a 10-year-old girl from the Sulur area was allegedly abducted, sexually assaulted, and murdered by a 35-year-old man identified as K Karthi.
Police later arrested not only Karthi but also 31-year-old Mohan, who allegedly assisted in the crime.
Both have since been detained under the Goondas Act, and multiple charges, including under the POCSO Act, have been filed against them. On 9 June, Coimbatore City Police filed an 819-page chargesheet in the case.
Just days later, on 25 May, a head constable attached to Vadapalani Police Station in Chennai was arrested after being accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy.
Police said the accused, identified as Velappan, allegedly forced alcohol into the boy’s mouth before sexually abusing him.
A POCSO case was registered against the policeman, who was later arrested and sent to prison. Authorities have also initiated departmental proceedings to dismiss him from service.
Another disturbing case surfaced on 31 May in Madurai, where four juveniles allegedly gang-raped a 13-year-old girl in Thirumangalam.
Police said a 16-year-old boy known to the victim had taken her to a temple festival along with three friends before luring her to an isolated area where the assault took place.
Following a complaint from the victim’s family, police registered a POCSO case against all four juveniles and sent them to a juvenile correctional facility. Investigators said three of the accused are 16 years old, while one is just 13.
Also Read: Shock and outrage over sexual assault, brutal murder of girl, 10, in Coimbatore
Even after the Tamil Nadu government launched “Singappen Special Task Force,” a new all-women police unit aimed at ensuring the safety of women and children in the state, on 9 June, the series of increasing sexual crimes against children has made several Opposition leaders criticise the government, questioning both law and order and the effectiveness of the newly introduced force.
Reacting to the recent sexual abuse case involving a 12-year-old girl allegedly assaulted by a pastor at a church in Anand Nagar in Thoothukudi, MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi questioned the necessity of creating a new special force using public funds when helplines such as 181 for women’s safety and 1098 for child protection are already operational.
She also argued that despite the launch of the new unit, women and children continue to face serious safety concerns across Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami condemned the brutal incident reported near Gummidipoondi. Calling the incident deeply disturbing, he questioned the state of women’s safety in Tamil Nadu and asked what action the police department and the newly launched Singappen Force were actually taking to prevent such crimes.
He accused the government of focusing on publicity-driven politics, instead of taking serious measures to maintain law and order and demanded the immediate arrest of all those involved.
In a separate statement, Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu Assembly Udhayanidhi Stalin condemned the Gummidipoondi incident and urged the police to identify and punish the real culprits involved in the case. He alleged that crimes against women and children were becoming increasingly frequent in the state and accused the government of repeatedly failing to ensure public safety.
He further pointed to several recent incidents, including allegations of sexual harassment involving ruling party members in Salem, Alandur, and even a woman police officer in Sivaganga shortly after the launch of the Singappen Force. Citing these incidents, he argued that law and order in the state have rapidly deteriorated.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
