Video of candlelight vigil for Coimbatore rape and murder victim helps man trace his missing mother

By M Bhavani
COIMBATORE: A candlelight vigil held at the Eera Nenjam home for the destitute, demanding justice for the tragic rape and murder of a young girl in Coimbatore, unexpectedly led to a deeply moving reunion between a 70-year-old woman and her son after four months.

Photographs and footage of the silent tribute were widely circulated by media outlets and on social media platforms. While looking through the images, a man named Vijayakumar noticed a woman holding a candle. He immediately recognized her as his missing mother, Sumithra.

Vijayakumar rushed to the Eera Nenjam care home, presented the necessary identification documents and legally reclaimed his mother.

P Mahindren, founder of Eera Nenjam, said that Sumithra, a resident of Chinna Thadagam, was rescued by the police and brought to the facility on Feb 7, 2026. At the time of her rescue, she was disoriented and unable to provide her full address or family details. Since then, she had been living safely at the shelter.