Lagatar24 Desk
Chennai: Eight men have been arrested in connection with the murder of K Armstrong, the Tamil Nadu chief of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), who was hacked to death by bike-borne assailants near his residence on Friday. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has ordered an expedited investigation into the “shocking” incident.
“Bahujan Samaj Party State President Armstrong’s assassination is shocking and deeply saddening. The police arrested those involved in the murder overnight. I would like to convey my deepest condolences to all of Armstrong’s party, family, relatives, and friends who are bereaved. I have ordered the police officers to conduct the case expeditiously and bring the culprits to justice as per the law,” Stalin wrote in a post on X.
BSP Chief Mayawati condemned the killing as “deplorable” and urged the state to “punish the guilty.” She described Armstrong as a “strong voice” for Dalits. “The gruesome killing of Mr. K Armstrong, Tamil Nadu state Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president, outside his Chennai house is highly deplorable and condemnable. An advocate by profession, he was known as a strong Dalit voice in the state. The state government must punish the guilty,” Mayawati wrote in a post on X.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also expressed his shock and sorrow, calling the murder “brutal and abhorrent.” “Deeply shocked by the brutal and abhorrent killing of Thiru Armstrong, the Tamil Nadu Chief of the Bahujan Samaj Party. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and followers. Tamil Nadu Congress leaders are in constant touch with the Government of Tamil Nadu, and I am confident that the Government will ensure that the culprits are brought to justice expeditiously,” Gandhi said.
The opposition in Tamil Nadu has criticized the ruling DMK over the incident, citing it as evidence of a deteriorating law and order situation. “What do I say when the state chief of a national party is murdered? The law and order is shameful. There is no fear of law or the police,” remarked Leader of Opposition Edappadi Palaniswamy.
Initial investigations suggest that Armstrong’s murder was an act of revenge linked to the killing of gangster Arcot Suresh last year. Sources indicate that the suspects include close relatives and associates of Suresh. There are reports that the attackers posed as food delivery agents, but the police have yet to confirm this detail.
Armstrong, a lawyer, was elected to the Chennai Corporation Council in 2006 and gained prominence after organizing a major rally in Chennai with BSP Chief Mayawati in 2008. Despite facing allegations of abduction in the past, he was acquitted by the courts over the years.
