Chennai: Barely two weeks after C. Joseph Vijay was sworn in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, he has come underneath intense assault from opposition events for worsening legislation and order within the state following a sequence of grotesque incidents, together with the alleged sexual assault and homicide of a 10-year-old woman.
The incident of a 10-year-old woman in Coimbatore’s Surur was adopted by the alleged sexual assault of an 11-year-old woman in Villupuram final Thursday. In one more surprising incident, a 17-year-old boy in Madurai was hacked to dying on Monday.
In response to the criticism, Income Minister KA Sengotaiyan stated long-standing issues can’t be resolved in a single day. “The cupboard has simply been sworn in. It might be unfair and unrealistic to count on decades-old issues to vanish in a single day,” Sengottayayan stated.
In the meantime, Chief Minister Vijay held talks with senior police officers on Monday amid mounting criticism. In line with an official authorities assertion, it has been directed to take strict motion towards crimes towards girls and kids.
The directive requires immediate investigations into sexual assaults and strict motion underneath related legal guidelines, together with the Safety of Youngsters from Sexual Offenses Act.
The information {that a} boy was hacked to dying close to the Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai was surprising.
It’s unhappy that Tamil Nadu is able to hear such information within the wee hours of the morning. Anybody can use it with peace of thoughts, together with kids, girls, folks with disabilities, and the aged.
— Kanimozhi (@KanimozhiDMK) Might 25, 2026
Mr. Vijay vowed to have zero tolerance for such incidents and careworn on strengthening security measures for ladies and kids and strengthening coordination amongst district authorities to forestall recurrence and guarantee speedy justice.
By the way, the “deterioration” of legislation and order underneath the DMK authorities was considered one of Mr. Vijay’s main ballot plans.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister S. Joseph Vijay has ordered that these concerned within the heinous crime must be prosecuted and prosecuted instantly.#CMJosephVijay pic.twitter.com/dKyZufcDZP
— CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) Might 25, 2026
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Incident and police response
Police launched an investigation into three circumstances and made arrests. Two folks had been arrested final week within the Coimbatore incident.
Within the Villupuram case, 62-year-old carpenter N Kanyappan was arrested by Kotakuppam all-women police on Saturday for allegedly sexually assaulting an 11-year-old fifth-grade woman scholar close to Marakkanam.
The suspect reportedly lured the woman by inviting her to purchase vada and touched her inappropriately. A POCSO case was registered on the premise of a criticism filed by the woman’s mom and the accused was despatched to judicial custody.
Within the Madurai incident, a 17-year-old boy was allegedly hacked to dying by a five-member gang close to a parking zone managed by the Madurai Company close to the Meenakshi Amman temple.
The boy was reportedly attacked by a bunch of 5 armed with sickles whereas he was sleeping. 5 attackers have been arrested, considered one of whom has been recognized as Mutumani.
Police officers stated they think the killing stemmed from earlier enmity associated to a struggle at a latest temple competition. The deceased reportedly had a number of prison circumstances pending.
new authorities comes underneath assault
The three incidents have sparked sharp political reactions, with opposition events questioning the power of the Vijay authorities to meet election guarantees on legislation and order, for which TVK had harshly criticized the earlier DMK authorities.
DMK chief Kanimozhi stated the information of a boy being hacked to dying close to the Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai was surprising.
“It’s heartbreaking that Tamil Nadu is in a scenario the place we hear such information each morning. Tamil Nadu has grow to be a state the place nobody is secure, together with kids, girls, the disabled and the aged. Does the brand new authorities understand that legislation and order has deteriorated considerably?” Kanimozhi wrote on X.
AIADMK chief Edappadi Ok Palaniswami, who has additionally questioned the seriousness of the federal government on legislation and order points after the Coimbatore sexual assault incident, has once more attacked the TVK authorities.
“Is the current authorities one other DMK authorities that can destroy girls’s security? The place is the protection of girls and ladies in Tamil Nadu?” he stated.
EPS reminded Mr. Vijay of his election promise and requested him to take strict motion.
BJP state president Nainal Nagendran condemned the Madurai killings and the widespread spike in crime within the state.
“The folks of Tamil Nadu now begin every day in worry with experiences of murders and crimes towards girls and kids. The federal government has failed to deal with the very legislation and order issues that they’d raised towards the earlier DMK authorities. The federal government has simply modified because the struggling continues,” he stated.
What number of extra lives will probably be misplaced until governments take motion, he requested.
Bharatiya Janata Social gathering leaders, together with former state president Ok Annamalai, urged the Vijay authorities to “transfer out of its celebratory temper” and take care of actuality.
In the meantime, Income Minister Sengotaiyan stated he didn’t imagine within the prime minister issuing statements daily. “He will certainly meet with the media on the acceptable time,” Sengotaiyan advised the media on Monday.
He careworn on immediate motion within the Coimbatore incident and the DGP has been directed to oversee the investigation.
“Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay had directed the DGP to go to the spot and supervise the investigation. Different additional authorized proceedings are being taken significantly,” Sengotaiyan stated.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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