Tamil Nadu toddler rape and murder fuels debate on child safety

A three‑year‑old girl from Thiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, went missing while playing near her home and was later found dead after allegedly being sexually assaulted. Police arrested 19‑year‑old Vibin Manch, a migrant worker from Bihar, who is accused of luring the child with biscuits and taking her to a nearby thorny bush where she sustained fatal injuries.

The killing comes shortly after Chief Minister M.K. Vijay inaugurated the Singappenn Special Task Force aimed at protecting women and children. Opposition leaders, including DMK MP Kanimozhi and party chief Udhayanidhi Stalin, have condemned the incident and criticized the state government’s law‑and‑order record, citing a recent rise in crimes against women and children in the state.

The case has intensified public calls for stricter child‑protection laws and heightened scrutiny of migrant‑worker communities in the region.