Women’s safety completely undermined under Stalin govt: Palaniswami on Coimbatore gang-rape
Chennai — The recent horror at Coimbatore airport has once again put Tamil Nadu’s police and law‑and‑order system under the spotlight. On Monday, former Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, now AIADMK general secretary, fired a harsh rebuke at the DMK government for what he called a “collapse of women’s safety” under Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.
The incident happened on the night of November 2. Three men snatched a college student who was talking with a friend near the Coimbatore International Airport. Police reports say they forced the men to assault the woman, then left her bleeding and abandoned her behind a private college. Night‑time rescuers caught her as she was being searched for by police, and she was taken to a private hospital the following morning.
The case has stirred anger across the state. Local and national opposition leaders demand quick action and have questioned how much control the DMK government has over the police. In a long‑form post, Palaniswami challenged the current policing system and asked, “Does Tamil Nadu still have a functioning police force under the DMK government?” He said the crime erodes public confidence and that women’s safety has been severely compromised.
Palaniswami drew a sharp contrast to his own era, saying that under the AIADMK “Tamil Nadu was among the safest states for women, and Chennai ranked first among major cities.” He recalled earlier efforts to give women pepper spray and safety kits to empower them during his tenure. “We did this when people didn’t trust the DMK government to protect them,” he added.
The former chief minister called on M.K. Stalin to ensure that the three accused are arrested immediately and punished with the severity the law allows. He said it was the Chief Minister’s responsibility to restore faith in women’s safety.
The Peelamedu police have set up special units and are still pursuing the attackers. The case continues to spark debate across Tamil Nadu about policing, accountability, and protecting women in public spaces.
Source: ianslive
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