The Tambaram Police are investigating alleged child sexual abuse reported at a government school near Vandalur in Chengalpattu district on Thursday.
The police have registered an FIR and initiated an investigation by a woman Inspector, under the supervision of senior women police officers.
As part of the probe, the police examined CCTV footage from the school and surrounding areas, conducted a medical examination of the child, and recorded detailed statements from witnesses. They also scrutinised scientific and other corroborative evidence available.
The police said that based on the investigation conducted so far, no material has emerged at this stage to establish that the alleged incident took place inside the government school as reported.
However, the investigation continues. The police have appealed to the public not to circulate unverified information, keeping in mind the interests of the child.
On Friday, Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin expressed shock over the alleged sexual assault, and accused the TVK-led government of attempting to cover up the incident as a snakebite.
In a post on X, Mr. Udhayanidhi alleged that the girl was abducted from the school premises by some unidentified persons and sexually assaulted.
“Where is the Singapenn Special Force? Where is the Chief Minister who delivered dialogues saying he would be like an elder brother when it comes to women’s safety and protect them? It is a shame that the students are not safe even within the government school premises under the dummy Chief Minister’s circus government, which claims no compromise on women’s safety,” Mr. Udhayanidhi said.
He also accused the police of trying to cover up the crime and divert the issue by portraying it as a snakebite. He claimed this was being done as the Chief Minister was to visit Madurantakam for the bypoll campaign.
Mr. Udhayanidhi further alleged that the police had seized the mobile phones of the girl’s parents and “threatened” them not to reveal the incident in public.
Mr. Udhayanidhi demanded that the girl be properly treated, and urged the State government to take severe action against the accused and ensure the safety of children on all school premises.
He said that if there was any attempt to cover up this incident in view of the upcoming bypoll, “the people would certainly teach the rulers a lesson”.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, in a post on social media, pulled up Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay over the incident and the way he ran the Police Department.
He also criticised the police for directing media organisations to delete any news item regarding the incident. The police should have inquired into the circumstances behind a government school becoming insecure and a girl student being subjected to sexual harassment, he said.
Mr. Palaniswami called for stringent action against those responsible.
AMMK founder T.T.V. Dhinakaran said Mr. Vijay becoming the Chief Minister was a “curse” on Tamil Nadu, as he was keen on campaigning for the bypolls in Maduratankam and Dharapuram, instead of taking steps to initiate a proper follow-up for the Vandalur event.
Published – September 26, 2026 12:19 am IST
