Puducherry: Lt Governor assures stern action after missing school girl found dead in drain

The body of a nine-year-old girl child, who went missing a few days ago, was retrieved from a drain near her house in Muthialpet block in the union territory, police said.

Puducherry:Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Tamilisai Soundararajan on Wednesday assured stern action against the culprits involved in the murder of a nine-year-old girl child after her body was retrieved from a drain near her house in Muthialpet block here. The girl's body was found in a sack floating in a drain near her house yesterday a few days after her parents had filed a missing complaint with the police. Her hands and legs were found tied with ropes, police said.

"I have asked the police officials to ensure that the culprits involved in the crime are brought to book. There would be no compromise and there would be zero tolerance to such beastly and unpardonable crimes against children," Soundararajan told a TV channel, expressing grave concern. She assured that very stern action would be taken against all those involved in the crime. Soundararajan said that the findings of the ongoing post-mortem were awaited.

Chief Minister N Rangasamy held a meeting with top police officials here today to take stock of the situation and also to evolve an action plan to curb crimes against children and women, official sources said. Former Transport Minister and MLA of the ruling AINRC S Chandira Priyanga said that she wanted the government to take stern action against the culprits involved in the beastly crimes unleashed against the girl. "The barbaric and beastly behaviour unleashed against the girl child is unpardonable, The government should spare no efforts to protect women and also young children. Stern and deterrent action should be taken against the culprits involved in the crime against the girl child," she said in a post on social media platform X.

The girl was a fifth standard student in a government school in Muthialpet. Facing protests from residents, police had launched an extensive search to trace the girl, sources said. Her body was taken to the government hospital at Kadirkamam near here and a post-mortem is being conducted at JIPMER, the sources added. Police sources said two suspects had been taken into custody. "We are interrogating the suspects, and will get a clear picture during interrogation," the sources added.

Independent legislator Prakash Kumar presented a memorandum to the Director General of Police seeking steps to arrest those behind the death of the girl. He also wanted CCTV cameras to be installed in various places in Muthialpet. The school where the girl was studying declared a holiday today to mourn the death of the student, school sources said. Volunteers and representatives of various organisations held demonstrations today demanding deterrent action against the culprits involved in the crime.

The demonstrators gathered in large numbers on the seashore behind the Mahatma Gandhi statue here, raising slogans condemning the heinous crime and demanded capital punishment for the culprits who had abducted the child and murdered her.
Independent MLA from Muthialpet J Sathish Kumar sought intensive measures by the police to prevent occurrence of heinous crimes. He had also asked the police to ensure installation of CCTVs in Muthialpet to prevent crimes.