Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Tuesday (June 9, 2026) warned that those who harassed women and threatened their safety, believing that they could escape punishment, would not be spared. The police would take strict action against them, he said.

He was launching the ‘Singappen Special Force’ in the Tamil Nadu Police at the Rajarathinam Stadium at Egmore in Chennai.

The Chief Minister said the root cause of threats to women’s safety was the spread of narcotics and substance abuse, and it must be stamped out.

“The success of a government should not be measured by infrastructure and economic growth alone; it should be measured by dignity and respect with which women and children live,” he said.

The launch of the special force, which Mr. Vijay said was close to his heart, gave him immense happiness. “We [the TVK] had promised to ensure the safety of our grandmothers, mothers, sisters, daughters, and girl children. That promise was not merely for the election. It came emotionally and truthfully from the heart. That is why we implemented this initiative within a short period since coming to power,” Mr. Vijay said.

“While this initiative gives satisfaction, hearing news about crimes against women disturbs me. It is difficult to control those emotions because such atrocities happen to people who belong to our own families,” he said.

The Chief Minister attributed crimes against women and children to the spread of narcotic substances. “This problem did not emerge suddenly in May 2026. It has existed for many years. It has spread because it was ignored for long,” he said, adding that the spread of narcotics, crimes against women, and law and order were interlinked. He added that the safety of women and children was not merely a law and order issue. “It is connected to social discipline, and within social discipline lies individual discipline. If individuals behave responsibly and with self-control, society will change. Women must have dignity and no fear at educational institutions and workplaces, during travel, and in their daily lives,” Mr. Vijay said.

While taking strict action against those involved in crimes against women and children, police officers should ensure that innocent people were not punished, he said. “Only those who commit crimes should receive severe punishment through court. Only then will fear come among those who even think of committing such offences,” he said.

The State government had allocated ₹354 crore for this initiative in the first phase. In the second phase, 2,500 posts would be created in the force, and it would be given vehicles with modern facilities, drones for patrolling, and technological equipment. The force would play an important role in preventing crimes against women and children. Since the force would engage in fieldwork, the all-women police stations would be able to focus more on investigations and ensuring punishment for offenders, Mr. Vijay said.

One of the three orders issued by Mr. Vijay after assuming office on May 10 was the creation of the Singappen Special Force. A Government Order was issued the same day to create a separate force, headed by a police officer of the rank of Inspector-General of Police. Later, the government appointed Inspector-General of Police K. Bhavaneeswari to head the force.

The Chief Minister inspected the parade, headed by parade commander Shahnaz Iliyas, and the guard of honour. He unveiled the monogram of the Singappen Special Force and drove a vehicle dedicated to the force. Ministers, Chief Secretary M. Saikumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Prohibition and Excise, K. Manivasan, Director-General of Police Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal, and senior police officers took part in the event. 

The police Drums Bagpiper band played two songs — ‘Singappenney’ from the movie Bigil and ‘Aalaporan Thamizhan’ from the movie Mersal in which Mr. Vijay played the lead role.

An 18-year-old girl was killed after a car rammed the two-wheeler she was riding on the Koyambedu flyover on Saturday night (May 30, 2026). A minor girl, who was on the pillion, has been admitted to hospital with severe injuries.

A senior officer of the Greater Chennai Police said Yancy, 18, was the daughter of Mary Stella, residing in the Sri Lankan Tamil Rehabilitation Camp at Anichankuppam in Villupuram district.

Yancy became friends with the minor girl, living at Ramapuram in Chennai, through social media. Yancy, who came to stay in the house of the minor girl last week, visited a private bar at Koyambedu on Saturday night (May 30, 2026).

As they were dancing in the bar, a six-member gang picked a quarrel with Yancy. The private security guards at the bar asked all of them to leave immediately. After coming out, they had a verbal altercation and Yancy was assaulted.

As Yancy and the minor girl were returning home, the gang, waiting in a sports utility vehicle (SUV), came from behind and rammed their two-wheeler on the flyover.

Yancy, who was riding the vehicle, sustained severe head injuries and died on the spot. The minor girl suffered severe injuries, and was rushed by passers-by to Government Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital.

The Koyambedu police initially filed a case of death in road accident. But they changed it to that of murder after analysing the CCTV footage available at the location. At first, the police arrested two persons: N. Balaguru of Ekattuthangal and M. Kishore Kumar of Nerkundram. After interrogating them, the police picked up A. Suman Sakthivel of Virugambakkam, Mohan, and Muthukannan. They are now looking for the sixth person. Suman Sakthivel was driving the SUV that hit the two-wheeler, the police officer said.

The Koyambedu police are also investigating how the minor girl was allowed into the bar.

The mother of the 10-year-old girl, who was sexually assaulted and murdered near Coimbatore, alleged on Sunday (May 24, 2026) that her husband took the child’s body to his native place in Salem and cremated it without her consent or allowing her to see the mortal remains.

The woman, who spoke to mediapersons in Coimbatore in the evening, said she decided not to accept her daughter’s body until “justice is served”. However, it was released from the morgue in Coimbatore after her husband’s signature was obtained, she said.

Police action sought

“They did not show me the body and left ESI Hospital premises through the back gate. Though we tried to follow the ambulance to have a glimpse of the body, they left the spot. Though I went to his native place in Salem, they cremated the body without even showing me her face,” she alleged, demanding police action against her husband and relatives.

Responding to social media posts and allegations that she was under the influence of alcohol and was unconscious when the main accused, K. Karthi, 33, abducted her daughter from the neighbourhood at Pallapalayam near Sulur on the evening of May 21, the woman said she had consumed a soft drink that her husband had kept in the refrigerator. She suspected that alcohol was mixed in it.

“I drank the cold drink from the refrigerator… I lost consciousness after consuming it,” said the woman, adding that no one should spread slander against her in her current situation.

The woman also denied any acquaintance with Karthi as alleged by certain people on social media. She said she came to know of him only after his arrest, and no one allowed her to explain her side.

Karthi, who allegedly suffered fractures on the right arm and leg while attempting to escape from the police, was shifted to the prisoners’ ward from the intensive care unit of a hospital.

Relief handed over

Earlier, Minister for Transport A. Vijay Tamilan Parthiban and Minister for Backward Classes Welfare V. Sampath Kumar visited the girl’s native place in Mettur taluk of Salem district and handed over a relief assistance of ₹7 lakh to the family.

According to an official release, the relief was provided on behalf of the Department of Children Welfare and Special Services following directions from the Madras High Court. Collector K. Elambahavath, Superintendent of Police Gautam Goyal, and other officials were present.