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After minister, Coimbatore cops 'laugh' during presser on minor's rape-murder
25 May 2026

A video of senior police officials laughing at a press conference on the murder of a 10-year-old girl in Coimbatore has sparked widespread outrage.

The incident took place after Tamil Nadu Industries Minister S Keerthana was also criticized for allegedly laughing when asked about the case.

In the video, Inspector General of Police RV Ramya Bharathi, along with Coimbatore Range DIG P Saminathan and SP Allatipalli Pavan Kumar Reddy, was seen smiling during the press conference.

'Absolute disgrace': Netizens react to video
Social media backlash

The video has sparked a huge backlash on social media, with many users slamming the officers for their behavior.

Another user wondered, "Why is she laughing throughout unnecessarily? Take action against such officers. They don't know how to behave during serious situations."

Another wrote, "A 10-year-old was abducted, assaulted, and murdered -- and instead of showing basic sensitivity, these officers looked more interested in cracking jokes at a press conference. Absolute disgrace."

Minister reacts to trolling
Clarification issued

Minister Keerthana has clarified that her smile was not related to the case and came after the media interaction had ended. She said she was only taking administrative questions at that time.

The minister also condemned what she called "baseless criticisms, personal attacks and unnecessary trolling," saying "distorting facts and turning someone's personal moments into political weapons is not a healthy approach for society."

BJP targets minister
BJP

The BJP claimed she appeared to be smiling during the exchange and that her behavior was unacceptable considering the gravity of the offense.

"We have a woman minister who was all smiles when asked about this tragic murder of a 10-year-old child. She said she would only take questions on administrative matters and laughed it off," BJP leader Vinoj P Selvam alleged.

Know about the case
Case overview

The 10-year-old girl was playing outside her house in Sulur on May 21, when she was kidnapped, sexually assaulted and murdered in a coconut farm near a pond.

After a complaint was filed, police formed five special teams to find the accused.

The main accused, K Karthi, was arrested from an apartment hideout.

"More investigation revealed...another accused, Mohan, helped the main accused. Mohan was also arrested and sent to judicial custody," said West Region Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ramya.