2 Men Check Into Hotel With Minors, Child Abuse Case Invoked In Tamil Nadu

Two men from Kerala, aged 23 and 27, have been arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in Tamil Nadu's Nagapattinam district after allegedly checking into a hotel with two 15-year-old schoolgirls who had left their homes, police said.

"The girls had left home following alleged pressure from their parents over academic performance. They had travelled to Nagapattinam's Velankanni area and tried unsuccessfully to find jobs at local shops before spending time swimming at the beach, where they met the two men, who were visiting as tourists from Kerala," a police officer told NDTV.

Investigators said the men befriended the girls. When one of the girls sought help finding a place to stay for the night, the men allegedly checked into a hotel, with each man sharing a room with one of the girls.

The following day, the girls went out again in search of jobs. A woman who encountered them alerted the police through the 100 emergency helpline. The police subsequently alerted the Singappen Special Force (SSF), a dedicated women police unit, and the Child Welfare Committee.

After speaking to the girls, the authorities registered a case under the POCSO Act and arrested the two men. The girls have undergone medical examinations, and further investigation is underway.

The arrests have also triggered a political exchange over women's safety in Tamil Nadu.

DMK MP Kanimozhi has criticised the ruling TVK government, alleging that its lethargy has made violence against women routine. Calling the incident a reflection of what she described as the government's woeful rule, she demanded justice for the girls and stringent action against those responsible.

The TVK government is yet to respond to the criticism. In the past, Chief Minister and TVK Chief Vijay had blamed the previous DMK regime's failure to curb drug abuse for crimes affecting public safety.

Women's safety and rising crimes against women were among the key issues in the run-up to the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election, which saw the TVK dislodge the DMK government and come to power.