K. Pichampatty residents yet to overcome the shock

Victim’s parents hope that the police take swift action against the killers

Residents of the Harijan Street at K. Pichampatty are yet to overcome the appalling incident that shook them on Monday night.

Three days have passed after the rape and murder of a girl belonging to their locality.

Nevertheless, they are unable to digest the tragedy that struck the family of K. Ponnusamy and P. Nagavalli who lost their dear daughter.

“All that we want is proper security for us,” said the residents in unison. “Till yesterday we saw the 17-year-old girl amidst us. Her demise all of a sudden in a terrible manner has devastated all of us,” said S. Leelavathy. The girl, who scored 873 marks in the Plus Two examination, should have joined a polytechnic college near Thottiyam. But before that, she has left us, another resident said with a deep sense of pain.

The culprits involved in the case should be handed out a severe punishment so that such offences did not recur, said Sathya.

On that fateful day, 39-year-old Ponnusamy went in search of his daughter after she failed to return home by 7.30 p.m. from Karur where the girl worked in a mosquito net manufacturing unit.

“Moments later, I got the shocking news that the body of my daughter lying inside a betel vine yard from my neighbour over phone,” said Ponnusamy, a farm labourer.

All that the grieving couple now want was a swift action by the police in apprehending the accused at the earliest. “What we want is exemplary punishment for the culprits,” said Nagavalli unable to control her tears.

Condolence posters have been displayed at different places in the village where a posse of policemen have been deployed.