Coimbatore : A group of people from Kurumbapalayam village in Sulur, some 30 Kms from here today alleged that the police were harassing them both physically and verbally under the pretext of an inquiry into a girl child who is missing .

The 4-year old girl was reported missing from Saturday last and five special police teams have been formed to trace her, after carrying out searches inwater bodies and other secluded places.

About 50 villages came to the district collectorate, led by Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader, Susi Kalairasan and alleged that police was taking the people, including the close relatives, from the area as part of questioning.

According to them, the villagers had seen the child last Friday evening and in the guise of inquiry the police was attempting to foist a kidnap case.

Some women showed bruises on their body, the result of beating by women police, they alleged, while a few youths, including the uncle of the child said that they were kept in Sulur police station for five days and tortured.

According to Kavitha, the mother of the girl child, she had given the names ofclose relatives, who were present during a fight in which her daughter was caught.

The villagers wanted the intervention of the district collector to stop the police harassment in the name of inquiry. They also wanted the child to be found at the earliest.