The murders of three political workers in less than 24 hours have led to heightened concerns over lack of safety and law enforcement to curtail rowdyism and contract killing in Tamil Nadu, giving a handle to opposition AIADMK and BJP to take on the DMK government.
While there is no concrete declaration that these murders rest on political motivations, the coincidental nature of their occurrence has given rise to strong criticism, coming close on the heels of the murder of Armstrong, the state leader of Bahujan Samajwadi Party.
The AIADMK and BJP reiterated the “deteriorating” law and order in the state after their party-men were attacked in two separate incidents over the weekend.
SPATE OF KILLINGS
Padmanabhan, an AIADMK worker, was travelling on his two-wheeler when five men in a car surrounded him and hacked him to death near the Puducherry border on Sunday. As per preliminary investigation, police said it could be a case of revenge killing. Sources said Padmanabhan was an accused in a murder case and his killing may be a case of retaliatory attack.
In yet another incident in Sivaganga district, BJP worker Selvakumar was hacked to death by a gang on Saturday night. The victim’s family staged a ‘road roko’ and demanded the arrest of the miscreants. So far, five people have been arrested in connection with the murder. Police, however, ruled out the possibility of any political motive behind the murder and blamed personal enmity instead.
In Kanyakumari district, a Congress councillor’s husband was hacked to death and police were on the lookout for a six-member gang.
On July 5, BSP state president K Armstrong was hacked to death in Perambur by a six-member gang. BSP supremo Mayawati demanded a CBI probe in the case and said the real culprits had not been arrested. So far, 17 people have been held in connection with the murder. Police said Armstrong was killed in retaliation for the murder of history-sheeter Arcot Suresh and ruled out political motive behind the incident.
M Shanmugam, an AIADMK worker, was hacked to death in Salem on July 4. Ten people, including a DMK councillor’s husband, were arrested in this regard. Police said personal enmity appears to be the cause of the murder.
On July 16, Balasubramanian, a functionary of Naam Thamizhar Katchi, was hacked to death in Madurai district while he was on his morning walk. Police said family dispute was the reason behind the murder and four people were arrested.
In July this year, five people linked to various political parties were murdered in broad daylight. The opposition parties have demanded that the chief minister take moral responsibility. In the case of Armstrong’s murder alone, the Chennai police commissioner had been transferred.
OPPOSITION PARTIES HIGHLIGHT LAWLESSNESS
Reacting to the situation, Kovai Satyan, AIADMK spokesperson, said: “In less than 24 hours, three people belonging to different political parties were murdered in Tamil Nadu. It clearly indicates the state of lawlessness in the state and the incompetence of chief minister MK Stalin. Police are puppets in the hands of the DMK regime. Most of the incidents of breakdown of law and order can be traced back to a DMK functionary or members associated with the DMK, which is why police are clueless how to act against them,” he said.
Narayanan Tirupathi, BJP spokesperson, echoed the sentiment. “The DMK and the government say these murders are not political but personal revenge killings. Maintaining law and order is the duty of the government and the police department, whether it is a political or personal crime. The pattern of killings very clearly shows that there is a contract killing spree in Tamil Nadu and the anti-social elements are at large. The government is unable to control them and that is the main reason that the state has become one of murderers.”
BJP leader Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan said: “Law and order problem is prevalent in Tamil Nadu. Every day, we see news of political murders. Today morning, we saw news of the killing of an AIADMK official and a BJP worker in Sivaganga. The state government has to concentrate on law and order. Just changing officials and collectors is not the solution. The Tamil Nadu chief minister should have attended the Niti Aayog meeting. When they boycott such a meeting, they boycott the development of Tamil Nadu.”
The DMK, however, said the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu was better than in other states. Dharani Dharan, DMK spokesperson, said: “Tamil Nadu is a peaceful state. However, attempts have been made by some to bring disrepute to us. Murders, in any part of the country or world, are very unfortunate. The government is trying its best to make sure such incidents do not happen. If we look at past National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, law and order in Tamil Nadu has improved under Stalin.”
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