Palaniswami urges T.N. government to punish perpetrators in Udumalpet rape case

AIADMK leader condemns sexual assault in Tamil Nadu, urges government to punish perpetrators for deteriorating law and order.

Criticising the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Friday, May 16, 2024, urged the State government to punish those involved in the sexual assault of two minor girls.

Referring to media reports of nine persons having allegedly raped a 17-year-old girl in Udumalpet in Tiruppur district, leading to her pregnancy, and the rape of another girl, he said in a statement that these incidents came to light through social media.

The former Chief Minister recalled that he had been warning the government about the reported drug abuse among young people and the deteriorating law and order situation. According to him, anti-social elements remained undeterred by the law or the police. This incident, he said, only indicated that the DMK government had pushed the State into this situation.

Mr. Palaniswami alleged that when DMK president M.K. Stalin was the Leader of the Opposition, he had sought to rake up the Pollachi sexual abuse case, though the AIADMK government had taken “appropriate steps” against the accused persons. It was condemnable that Mr. Stalin, who had projected himself to be a protector of women, had failed to take steps for their protection while he was Chief Minister, he said.

The AIADMK leader said he was condemning the Udumalpet sexual assault “as a concerned father,” just as he has been flagging the issue of drug abuse among the youth.