Migrant worker arrested after 3-year-old dies in Tamil Nadu

A three-year-old girl died in a Chennai hospital on Monday, June 15, 2026, after being sexually assaulted in Tiruvallur district the previous night. Police have arrested a 19-year-old migrant worker from Bihar in connection with the crime.

The incident occurred on Sunday evening in the Pudupettai area near Gummidipoondi, within the jurisdiction of the SIPCOT police station. According to authorities, the accused, who worked at the same steel company as the victim's father and lived nearby, lured the child away while she was playing. He used the pretext of buying her chocolates, biscuits, or snacks before assaulting her in a secluded spot around 8 p.m.

A passerby witnessed the assault and raised an alarm, leading local residents to gather. The accused attempted to flee but was apprehended by the public and subsequently handed over to police. The critically injured girl was first taken to a government hospital in Kottakarai before being transferred to Government Stanley Hospital in Chennai, where she succumbed to her injuries on Monday morning.

In an official statement, the Tiruvallur District Police confirmed the arrest and stated that preliminary investigations indicate only one...