A seven-year-old remains missing 15 days after disappearing from her home in Tamil Nadu. As the search intensifies and protests mount, the state government faces questions over the investigation.
Tamil Nadu missing girl case: Police intensify search as 7-year-old remains untraced. (Representative photo)
Chennai,Oct 26, 2026 20:53 IST
Tamil Nadu Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar on Monday said the state police were carrying out an intensive investigation from multiple angles to trace a seven-year-old girl who went missing from Gingee in Villupuram district, PTI reported.
Defending the state government's record on transparency and public safety, Kumar rejected the opposition DMK's criticism of the law and order situation. He said the Director General of Police was reviewing the investigation every day.
Speaking to reporters in Chennai, the minister said, "The police department is investigating the case from every conceivable angle to locate the missing girl at the earliest. The Director General of Police (DGP) is personally reviewing the progress of the investigation on a daily basis to ensure a transparent and thorough inquiry."
"Under the present administration, no criminal would escape justice," he added.
The Class 2 student remained untraced 15 days after she went missing from her home near Gingee, prompting public outrage and political protests. The Crime Branch-CID has intensified the search for her, according to PTI.
The girl went missing in the early hours of October 12, hours after celebrating her seventh birthday. Police said she was last seen sleeping with her parents, who are agricultural labourers, and her grandmother on the night of October 11.
The Sathiyamangalam police initially registered and investigated the case but found no leads. More than 100 police personnel, along with drones, sniffer dogs and forensic experts, searched wells, water bodies, agricultural fields and forest areas but found no concrete evidence.
The DMK staged a road blockade to draw the government's attention to the case and demand that the girl be traced soon. The PMK and other parties also sought swift action.
Rejecting the criticism over law and order, Kumar questioned the DMK's record during its previous tenure. "Those lecturing us on law and order today failed to solve high-profile cases during their own governance, such as the Ramajayam murder case," he alleged.
He also accused the DMK of "indulging in systemic corruption", claiming that it had earlier demanded money from educational institutions in exchange for safety certificates. "The opposition continues to prioritise political point-scoring and financial gain over legal procedure and public safety," he said while defending the administration's transparency and commitment to public welfare.
On the state's power sector, Kumar said the government was preparing long-term forecasts to meet rising electricity demand, particularly during extreme summer months when Tamil Nadu relies heavily on power purchases through central grid corridors.
He said a formal announcement on recruiting gangman personnel in the electricity department would be made within a week after final approvals.
Explaining the temporary pause on new solar power applications, the minister said the step was needed to manage grid capacity and prevent overloading. The government was finalising battery storage policies and targeted subsidies to store and use excess solar power during peak demand hours.
The minister said the search for the missing girl was continuing under daily monitoring by the DGP, while also outlining the government's plans for electricity demand, recruitment and solar power management.
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