CHENNAI: Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) chief coordinator Seeman on Tuesday said that crimes against women have been steadily increasing in Tamil Nadu and urged the State government to take immediate measures to curb such offences.

Addressing reporters in Tiruchy, Seeman said several incidents of sexual harassment go unnoticed across the State. Referring to the recent Coimbatore case involving the assault of a college student, he stated that such cases reflect a disturbing pattern of repeated offences against women and children.

He alleged that despite the presence of an illegal liquor outlet near the crime site for a long time, the authorities failed to act in time. “The police should be ashamed of their handling of the case,” he said, demanding strict action against those involved in crimes against women and minors.

Seeman also criticised the proposed implementation of the SIR and accused the BJP of attempting to create divisions among residents. He said the party’s proposal to extend voting rights to migrants from other states could lead to social unrest and was against Tamil Nadu's interests.

Meanwhile, a section of NTK cadre defaced Hindi signage from name boards across villages from Thanjavur to the Pudukkottai section of the National Highways on Tuesday. They blackened Hindi names and left out English and Tamil names of the villages, in an apparent protest against the imposition of Hindi. NTK cadre claimed that it was a conspiracy to impose Hindi.