Student Sexually Assaulted at Anna University, Biryani Vendor Arrested; BJP Questions Law & Order

Chennai: A man has been arrested by the police in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a student at Anna University here. The man has been identified as Gnanasekaran. He operates a roadside biryani cart near the university. Reports claimed that he approached the victim and her boyfriend, a third-year student at Anna University, while they were on campus.

Police sources revealed that the accused recorded a video of the couple together and used it to blackmail them. After physically attacking the boyfriend, who managed to flee the scene, Gnanasekaran allegedly sexually assaulted the girl. The incident took place late on Monday evening, around 8 PM, sparking massive protests on the university campus.

Meanwhile, the victim filed a complaint at the Kotturpuram police station yesterday. Following the complaint, authorities arrested the accused the same day.

An official statement from the police confirmed the arrest and assured that the investigation is ongoing. "The accused has been arrested, and the investigation is underway," said the police spokesperson.  

BJP Questions Law And Order

Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President K. Annamalai came down heavily on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) led state government over the alleged sexual assault of a student at Anna University, stating that crimes against women are at an all-time high. Speaking to reporters, Annamalai said the incident occurred when a girl and a boy, both university students in their fourth and second years respectively, were on the university campus. Two unidentified individuals allegedly entered the campus and sexually assaulted the girl.

"There are some terms that are new to Tamil Nadu. One of them is gang rape. We have been hearing it frequently over the past three years. Crimes against women are at an all-time high. This incident is not only shocking but leaves us paralysed with shame. In one of the safest places, Chennai--specifically the sprawling Anna University campus, which has existed for decades--a girl and a boy were attacked. The boy was beaten, and the girl was brutally sexually assaulted, sustaining injuries," Annamalai said.

Criticising the state government for its handling of law and order, Annamalai urged authorities to grant the police freedom to investigate the incident thoroughly to prevent such occurrences in the future.

"The CCTVs on campus were not functioning, which reflects the current state of law and order and administration in Tamil Nadu. This is a moment of collective shame. We hope the police will be allowed to do their job without interference. With all MLAs and MPs in Chennai belonging to the DMK, is this how the city ensures the safety of its people? I hope and pray the Tamil Nadu government takes action. At least let this incident be the last of its kind," he added.

AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami condemned the incident, highlighting its occurrence 12 years after the Nirbhaya case in Delhi as an indictment of the Stalin administration's failure to prioritise law and order. 

"The news of a female student being sexually assaulted by two men at Anna University is shocking. It is disgraceful that such a heinous crime occurred at Anna University, a proud landmark of Tamil Nadu, located in the heart of the capital. The fact that such incidents are happening 12 years after the Nirbhaya case in Delhi shows that Chief Minister Stalin has relegated law and order to the background," Palaniswami posted on X.