Chennai, Nov 4 : The police have arrested three men in connection with the brutal gang-rape of a postgraduate college student near Coimbatore International Airport, a case that sent shockwaves across Tamil Nadu.

The accused were nabbed after a dramatic chase and gunfire exchange early Tuesday morning.

According to police sources, the 21-year-old victim, hailing from Madurai, is a first-year postgraduate student at a private Arts college in Coimbatore. She stayed in a private hostel and went out on Sunday with her boyfriend, a resident of Ondipudur.

The couple had parked their car in Prithvivan Nagar, behind the airport, and were talking when the horrific incident unfolded around 11 p.m.

Three unidentified men approached them and ordered them to get out of the car. When the couple tried to flee, the men smashed the window and attacked the boyfriend with a sickle, leaving him unconscious.

They then dragged the terrified student into a nearby bushy area at knifepoint and took turns raping her. When her boyfriend regained consciousness around 2 a.m., he called the emergency helpline and informed police.

A search operation was launched immediately, and the victim was found about a kilometre away in a severely traumatised state.

Police rescued her and admitted her to a private hospital, while her friend was treated at the Coimbatore Government Hospital.

A special team led by Peelamedu Police formed seven squads to track down the culprits using CCTV footage from the area.

Acting on a tip-off, the police located the suspects -- identified as Guna, Satheesh Karuppasamy, and Karthik Kaleeswaran -- hiding near Pattatharasi Amman Temple in Thudiyalur. When surrounded, they allegedly attacked the police with sickles, injuring Constable Chandrasekar on the left arm. In retaliation, Inspectors Arjun (Peelamedu) and Gnanasekaran (Saravanampatti) opened fire, injuring the suspects in their legs.

All three were overpowered and taken to Coimbatore Government Hospital under heavy security.

Investigations revealed that the trio, natives of Sivaganga district, had been living in Irukur while working as daily wage labourers. Police said Karuppasamy and Kaleeswaran are brothers, and all three have criminal records involving murder, assault, and robbery.

Further investigation is underway.

/IANS