Police tortured me after I shared information about missing girl from Gingee, claims Namakkal woman

An Anganwadi worker who informed the police about the missing girl from Gingee alleged on Wednesday that the personnel had “tortured” her under the guise of an investigation.Bhavani, 48, a resident of the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) quarters near the railway station on Sendamangalam Road, works as an anganwadi worker at Konanur near Sendamangalam. She alleged that the police were “torturing” her in the name of investigation after she gave them information about Hemalatha, 7, the girl from Gingee who went missing on October 12.Speaking to reporters, Ms. Bhavani said that on October 23, while she went to deliver vegetables to an Anganwadi, she saw a girl opposite the Thathagiri Murugan Temple accompanied by two men aged around 55 and 35. “After that, on October 29 night, while looking at my daughter’s mobile phone, I realised that the missing girl from Gingee was the girl I saw near the temple. Immediately, I called the police and told them about what I had seen.”“Following this, the police got the details from me. They also took me to the spot where I had seen the girl and recorded a video. But now, CB-CID Sub-Inspector Muthukumar from Villupuram, came to my school and met the headmaster and inquired about my personal details, including those of my family members,” she said. “Without checking the details I provided, the CB-CID are instead investigating me. They questioned various people for two hours at the school where I work. I now fear for my job,” Ms. Bhavani said.CB-CID clarificationWhen contacted, Mr. Muthukumar was not available for comments. Denying the allegations, an official attached to the CB-CID team investigating the case said based on the information provided by Ms. Bhavani, the CB-CID went to the spot, conducted inquiries, and analysed the CCTV camera footage in the locality. “We never tortured her and she misunderstood the investigation,” the official clarified. Published - November 06, 2026 12:51 am IST