The police arrested two persons early on Saturday in connection with the abduction and murder of a 10-year-old girl, whose body was found in Kannampalayam tank near Coimbatore on Friday (May 22, 2026). 

Karthik (33) of Nagapattinam, who has been residing at Pallapalayam near Coimbatore, and his friend Mohanraj, were arrested for alleged involvement in the crime, Inspector General of Police (West Zone) R.V. Ramya Bharathi confirmed to The Hindu.

Further investigation in the case is on, said a communique issued by the Coimbatore District Police early on Saturday (May 23, 2026). 

Police sources said that the suspects were known to the girl’s family and they abducted the girl from her neighbourhood on the pretext of buying her chocolates on Thursday (May 21, 2026) evening. The police identified the suspects based on visulas from surveillance cameras.

Meanwhile, the road blockade staged by residents from the girl’s neighbourhood on Tiruchi Road in front of Sulur police station from 9 p.m. on Friday (May 22, 2026) went on till 5 a.m., Saturday (May 23, 2026). The police diverted the traffic along the arterial road through alternative routes. 

IG Ramya Bharathi, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Coimbatore Range) P. Saminathan and Coimbatore District (Rural) Superintendent of Police Allatipalli Pavan Kumar Reddy camped at Sulur till Saturday morning and supervised the investigation by special teams under Deputy Superintendent of Police Karikal Pari Shankar. They also held talks with the protestors. Around 300 police personnel were deployed in the area. 

TVK’s Sulur MLA N.M. Sukumar, who visited the protesters late on Friday (May 22, 2026), assured the protestors that the police would arrest the perpetrators by Saturday (May 23, 2026) morning.