Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday directed police officials to promptly register cases involving sexual offences, speed up investigations and ensure stringent punishment for those accused of heinous crimes against women and children.Vijay stressed that cases related to sexual crimes must be handled swiftly (PTI)The directions were issued during a high-level review meeting on law and order held at the Secretariat in Chennai, convened in the wake of the alleged sexual assault and murder of a 10-year-old girl in Coimbatore’s Sulur area that has triggered widespread outrage across the state.According to an official release, Vijay stressed that cases related to sexual crimes must be handled swiftly and prosecuted effectively so that severe punishment awarded to the accused acts as a deterrent against future offences.“Sexual assault cases should be tried expeditiously and the culprits given severe punishment by conducting the case properly so as to serve as deterrent to others,” the chief minister directed officials during the meeting.The review meeting also comes amid mounting criticism from opposition parties over the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu under the TVK government. Parties including the main opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have targeted the government over a series of murders and crimes against women reported in recent months.Vijay instructed the advocate general’s office to coordinate with authorities to expedite trials in such cases and focus on preventive measures and awareness campaigns relating to crimes against women and children. Officials from the police department, social welfare department and the advocate general’s office attended the meeting.On Sunday, the chief minister had spoken over the phone with the family of the Coimbatore victim and assured them that justice would be delivered.Two men, including a person known to the victim, have been arrested in connection with the alleged sexual assault and murder of the child.Among those present at the meeting were chief secretary M Saikumar, home secretary K Manivasan, advocate general Vijay Narayan, social welfare and women empowerment secretary Mariam Pallavi Baldev and director general of police Sandeep Rai Rathore. Senior police officials, including additional director general of police Maheshwar Dayal and additional director general of police Anita Hussein, also attended the review meeting.