Three get life term in Coimbatore college student gang rape case

COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore district mahila court on Saturday found three accused in the gang rape of a college student guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment till death.

The convicts are identified as T Karuppusamy alias Satheesh, 30, of Singampunari in Sivaganga district, his brother T Kaleeswaran alias Karthik, 21, and their relative M Guna alias Thavasi, 20, of Madurai district.


Judge V Sundararaj, in charge of the mahila court, pronounced the verdict around 3.30pm on the eve of Women’s Day. The trial was completed within two months of filing a 350-page chargesheet and 126 days after the college girl was gang-raped by the trio at an isolated place near the city airport after assaulting her boyfriend.

According to an official source, the chargesheet was filed on Jan 8, 2026. The prosecution began examining witnesses on Feb 2 and it was concluded on Feb 23. A total of 72 witnesses, including the rape survivor and her boyfriend, their family members, friends, police officers, CCTV experts and DNA experts, were examined. The court marked 111 govt exhibits.

Special public prosecutor B Jisha submitted arguments on Feb 24 and sought maximum punishment for the accused. The defence arguments were heard on Feb 27.

The crime was committed on the intervening night of Nov 2 and 3, 2025, when the trio took the college girl, who was sitting in a stationary car along with her boyfriend near the city airport, to a motor room at the Govt Polytechnic College after assaulting the friend and gang-raped her.

The Peelamedu police arrested the trio on Nov 3 after shooting them in the legs when they attacked cops with sickles in their bid to flee. They were booked under sections 324(4) (mischief causing loss or damage to property), 127(2) (wrongful confinement), 309(4) (attempted robbery), 311 (causing grievous hurt), 70(1) (gang rape), 74 (assault with intent to outrage a woman's modesty), 76 (assault with intent to strip a woman naked) and 111(2) (organised crime) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The court convicted them on seven sections and acquitted them under Section 111(2).

The court awarded life imprisonment till death and a fine of Rs 500 under Section 70(1), two years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 500 under Section 324(4), 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 500 under Section 309(4), two years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 311, one year rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 500 under Section 74, three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of rs 500 under Section 76, and one year imprisonment under Section 127(2). The sentences would run concurrently.

The judge also ordered compensation of Rs 7 lakh to the rape survivor and Rs 2 lakh to the male victim.

City police commissioner N Kannan praised police team for the professional and speedy completion of the chargesheet. He said scientific evidence was produced in the case and that even if the convicts appealed, they would not be acquitted. “Coimbatore is rated high for women’s safety and that measures are being taken to ensure women’s safety in the city,” he added.

Timeline

Nov 2

• Rape survivor and her boyfriend arrived at the crime spot: 10.45 pm
• Accused intercepted the victims: 10.50 pm
• Boyfriend made a 100 call: 11.20

Nov 3

• The victim rescued at: 4 am
• The accused shot at legs and arrested on 10.45 pm.

Legal proceedings

• Preliminary chargesheet filed on: Dec 1, 2025.
• Additional chargesheet filed on: Jan 8, 2026.
• Witness examination commenced: Feb 2, 2026.
• Witness examination concluded: Feb 23, 2026.
• Prosecution presented arguments on: Feb 24, 2026.
• Defence presented arguments on: Feb 27, 2026.
• The verdict pronounced on: March 7, 2026.